Thick smoke billows into the sky from a fire on Cuba Street in Wellington. Video / Supplied
Seven fire engines are scrambling to a fire in an abandoned Central Wellington building and Fire and Emergency (Fenz) is asking people to avoid the area.
Thick smoke is spewing from the blaze in the Cuba and Ghuznee Sts area. Flames as high as 20 metres can be seen leaping from the building.
A Fenz spokeswoman said seven fire engines were called to the blaze, reported about 2.30pm. Photo / George Heard
The burning heritage-listed Toomath’s building in Ghuznee St was cordoned off as an earthquake risk in 2019. Nearby retailers have voiced their fears the fragile building would collapse in a quake.
A spokesperson from Wellington City Council said no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
A witness, who only gave her name as Emily, said, “You could see flames burning through the roof and debris falling down on to the road. It reminds me quite a lot of the [Loafer’s Lodge] fire that happened earlier this year.”
“We do ask all members of the public to avoid the area of Cuba and Ghuznee Sts,” she said.
A resident told NZME the fire “is getting a lot worse”.
“We smelled it first, before realising it’s in a property behind Scopa [pizzeria].”
Firefighters battle the blaze. Photo / George Heard
“Very large flames shooting up about 10 metres. There are at least a dozen firefighters here right now. Such strong winds as well, which have made it worse.”
While the smoke damage was being evaluated, an adjacent residential building was temporarily evacuated. Since then, the building’s occupants have moved back in.
Asbestos has not been detected, the Wellington City Council spokesperson said. Environmental investigators are conducting tests on the surrounding area and evaluating the site’s designs to determine whether any asbestos-containing building materials were used.
Police are telling people nearby to move away due to the smoke, while a chemist worker is handing out masks to people near Cuba St.
Firefighters respond to fire on Ghuznee St, Central Wellington. Photo / George Heard
A police spokesperson said officers were helping Fenz manage traffic in the area. Police have closed parts of Ghuznee, Cuba and Taranaki Sts.
“Police are speaking to those who were in the area at the time to determine the cause of the fire,” the spokesperson said.
A crowd watches firefighters battle the blaze. Photo / George Heard
About 50 people have stopped to watch as firefighters control the blaze.
