A "major leak in the sprinkler system" has left more than half a metre of water in a building in the Rotorua CBD this morning.
Senior station officer Colin Rolfe said the water had flooded the bottom floor of the rock climbing facility The Wall and a costume centre, fromHinemoa St to Eruera St.
He said Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were first called to the scene between 3am and 4am.
"The residents at the backpackers heard a noise, came down and saw the water and alerted us."
The two fire trucks left the scene just before 9am.
