By 3 News online staff with NZN
A fire at a multi-storey car parking building in Auckland’s CBD is now under control.
Around 70 firefighters were needed to control the blaze on 74 Anzac Ave, which began about 12.20pm.
Police told 3 News the blaze may have started from a mattress being lit on fire by street kids who frequent the building.
Earlier in the afternoon fire crews searched the building for anyone trapped inside.
Reza Gustani, who works opposite the building, says he’s seen homeless people in there over the last few days.
Auckland City fire station senior station officer Bob Morrison said nobody was reported to be hurt, though a couple of vehicles suffered fire damage.
Peter Walker, who works at Oceanic Hostel across the road from the building, told NZ Newswire he heard a large explosion before the fire.
"I heard an explosion, a little bang in there, and ran back in my office and told the guy to ring the fire brigade straight away,"
"Then I saw the black smoke coming and yelled to everyone to close the windows."
The fire on Anzac Ave is in the same building that houses Wilsons car park.
Hostel resident Tara Wright noticed the fire soon after the alarms were sounded.
"It was actually really weird to see a place like that in smoke because it's been abandoned for a while," Ms Wright said.
"It was engulfed in a whole lot of smoke, which wasn't a pretty sight."
Mr Walker said the building had been derelict for some time and it would not be missed.
"We don't know who owns that. I've been working here seven years. It was a bike store but it's been empty most of that time. Now there's street kids living in there."
About 70 firefighters and 16 appliances were at the scene, and Anzac Ave was closed off.
The fire is being treated as suspicious.
3 News / NZN