KEY POINTS:
A fire in an office building caused disruption in central Christchurch this morning, closing part of Colombo St to all traffic, including pedestrians.
The fire was noticed just before 10am on the fifth floor of the building, on the corner of Colombo and Gloucester Sts, housing retail and office space.
Fire Service communications shift manager Rewi Grace said the entire building, about eight floors, had to be evacuated.
Nine fire appliances had gone to the scene, he said.
Colombo St, a main arterial route through central Christchurch, was blocked off to motorists and pedestrians, causing "a fair amount of disruption".
Four of the appliances were released after about half an hour, and fire safety officers were examining the scene to find the cause of the fire.
"We don't know the exact extent of the damage, but it's all been brought under control," Mr Grace said.
Everyone had been safely evacuated, and the fire had been contained to the fifth floor.
- NZPA
