Suspicious fire guts city building

Picture / Dean Purcell

The Fire Service is treating as suspicious a downtown Auckland fire last night that destroyed the interior of a derelict building. Fourteen fire engines rushed to the blaze in the three-storey building on Customs St East at 8.06pm.

"We had reports that people were trapped inside, but we searched the building and it was clear," said deputy fire chief officer Graham Fuller.

It was too early to say how the fire started, but it began in several places.

Nearby buildings were evacuated and the block was cordoned off as firefighters put out the blaze.