Firefighter injured as fire destroys building in Wellington

Fire and Emergency took a string of 111 calls just after 1.30, when a building on Wigan St went up in flames. Image / Google Maps

A firefighter is in hospital after a dramatic early morning fire destroyed a building in the heart of Wellington.

Fire and Emergency took a string of 111 calls just after 1.30am when a building on Wigan St went up in flames.

Shift manager Mike Wanoa said by the time first crews got to the Imagelab building, the top level of the two-storey structure was engulfed in flames.

A firefighter suffered moderate injuries but central communications shift manager Carlos Dempsey said they were not from the fire.

Nine firefighting appliances and six supporting units were sent there.

Surrounding buildings were doused in water to prevent the fire from spreading.

Wanoa said the fire was brought under control shortly after 3am.

The building was believed to have been unoccupied at the time.

Specialist fire investigators were due to return to the blackened property this morning to work out how the blaze started.