Fire forces road closure after smoke billows out of Ambassador Theatre in Pt Chevalier

Fire services at the scene of a fire at the Point Chevalier shops on Great North Road. Photo / Jason Oxenham

More than 20 fire appliances flocked to the Ambassador Theatre in Auckland after a fire on the building's second floor forced the closure of a nearby road.

Witnesses said smoke was seen billowing out of the third and second floor of the theatre, which had been turned into a private residence, on Monday afternoon.

A Fire Emergency New Zealand spokesman said they received a call of a fire in the second floor of the building at 3.40pm.

Daily Bread worker Max Quigley said he could see a lot of smoke coming from three of the vents on the roof of the building in Pt Chevalier.

"Some of the guys have tried to see what is going on inside but it is too smoky to see."

A witness told the Herald smoke was flowing out of the buildings second and third floor after 4pm.

The theatre is understood to be used as a private residence and is currently owned by artist Peter Roche who bought the theatre in 1995.

The road was closed from Kiwi Rd to Point Chevalier Rd on Great North Rd for two hours and was reopened at 6.30pm.

A fire investigator was still on scene at 8pm last night.