Lucky escape after clothing shop fire

Two people who tried to save clothing from a burning shop today were lucky to escape without serious injuries, say firefighters.

A spectacular fire in the clothing store in Roscommon Rd, Clendon, South Auckland, about 1pm, grew with alarming speed, said fire safety officer Robert Watson.

Two people, including a person who worked in the shop, tried to save stock, the fire grew in intensity and they were forced back.

They were both taken to hospital as a precaution and not admitted, Mr Watson said.

"It was a very small fire in the beginning when they discovered it and it grew very, very quickly."

The shop held a lot of light, synthetic clothing which burnt rapidly.

"It was very very spectacular. If you can imagine a corner shop which was glazed on two sides...with smoke and flames coming out of both sides, it looked pretty dramatic."

Mr Watson said they had yet to find the cause of the fire, although it was believed to have started in a storeroom and was not thought to be suspicious.

The shop was extensively damaged and a neighbouring shop was damaged by water.

- NZPA