Three rescued from balcony of burning shop

Three people rescued from a first-floor balcony over a burning Auckland dairy early today were not in any immediate danger, firefighters say.

The trio clambered out a window and onto the balcony when a fire broke out at the Busy Bee Dairy in Ponsonby Rd about 3.30am.

Firefighters put a ladder up to the balcony and guided the three down. One was taken to Auckland Hospital with slight injuries.

Auckland City chief fire officer Brian Edwards said the three rescued people lived in an apartment above the shop and climbed on to the balcony when they couldn't get down the stairs.

"They couldn't have stayed up there but they probably weren't in any great danger."

Mr Edwards said the fire was relatively simple to fight but it created a lot of smoke.

The fire was about 200 metres from the Ponsonby Fire Station and firefighters were at the scene within a minute of the alarm being raised.

Fire safety officers were investigating the fire.

Mr Edwards said there had been a suggestion it was suspicious but that had yet to be confirmed.

- NZPA