New Zealand: Road closures due to ongoing fire in Auckland’s city center October 23 /update 2

Event

As of 14:00 (local time) on Wednesday, October 23, the fire that broke out on Tuesday, October 22, on the roof of the SkyCity Convention Center in Auckland's city center is ongoing. More than 100 firefighters and support staff are deployed to the scene and have said that they expect to work on the fire through Wednesday. Transport authorities have closed the roads to all vehicles and pedestrians in the immediate vicinity, including parts of Wellesley, Nelson, and Hobson streets. A number of public bus services are also being diverted from the area, and travelers are being warned to expect major traffic disruptions. Updates to bus services can be found on the Auckland Transport website here. However, ferry services have largely resumed as of 13:00 on Wednesday.

Authorities are asking people to avoid the area of the fire. Individuals in the city center are also being asked to take precautionary measures against smoke inhalation including staying out of the smoke, keeping windows closed, turning off air conditioning, and wiping down surfaces.

Context

According to Fire and Emergency officials, the fire started at approximately 13:10 on Tuesday on the roof of the convention center and then spread to the sixth floor. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Advice

Individuals in Auckland are advised to avoid the area of the fire, obey all instructions issued by local authorities, allow additional time to travel, and to take precautionary measures to avoid smoke inhalation. Children and those with respiratory illnesses in the area are advised to limit outdoor activity.