Six fire trucks are working to put out a house fire near the University of Canterbury.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) received calls about 9pm of a building fire in the Clyde Rd area.
Flames and huge plumes of smoke can be seen from across the city.
One witness could see flames from Shirley, a suburb six kilometres away.
Herald reporter Hamish Clark is on Clyde Road where the fire is visible.
"It's a derelict house, completely engulfed and there is an aerial attack on the fire right now with water being pumped directly into the house," Clark said.
"There are hundreds of university students gathered to watch behind the cordon."
FENZ shift manager Lyn Crosson said: "it's obvious a building was well alight. [Trucks] are attending from all Christchurch stations basically."
The fire is "still very obvious", she said.
Clyde Rd has been closed between Riccarton and Maidstone Rds.
A spokeswoman for police said reports were recieved of a house fire on Kirkwood Ave around 9pm.
She said there were no reports of injuries.
Emergency services were called to the incident around 4pm.