Car doing burnouts causes Wellington office building to be evacuated

A car doing burnouts in a building carpark triggered a response from Fire and Emergency. Photo / File

Office workers were evacuated from a Wellington building this afternoon after a car doing burnouts in one of the building's car parks triggered alarms.

Police got a report of smoke in the building just before 2pm and attended the scene.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) sent six appliances and two aerial appliances to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade building on Lambton Quay this afternoon.

Shift manager Mike Wanoa said a second alarm was triggered by Fenz, which meant more appliances and support was sent in.

However, it was soon discovered that there was no fire and the smoke was a result of a car doing burnouts.

"Almost immediately it was realised that it was set off by someone doing burnouts," Wanoa said.