KEY POINTS:
Auckland City Council staff had to be told there was a fire in their building after black smoke was seen pouring from an upper floor of the Civic Building this morning.
Fire shift manager Jaron Phillips said multiple calls were received by the 111 service about the fire in the council building about 10am.
"Fire service arrived and it appeared that the occupants of the building had no knowledge of the fire in their own building so the fire service immediately activated the fire alarm," Mr Phillips said.
He said about 15 appliances and 60 fire fighters were at the scene of the fire at the council building in Aotea Square.
Mr Phillips said the fire appeared to be an electrical fault in the plant room where the lift's operations are housed.
Fire fighters used fire extinguishers to put the fire out and fire safety officers are now investigating its cause.
Traffic cordons were in place at Grey's Avenue and Mayoral Drive and staff were evacuated for 45 minutes.
They were allowed back into the building at 10.45am but were not allowed to use the lifts.
