Giant fire breaks out at SkyCity convention centre in Auckland

A giant fire is burning from the top of the SkyCity Convention Centre, which is still under construction in downtown Auckland.

Thick black smoke billowing from the building can be seen across the city.

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Photo / NZH

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is reporting what he can see live on his official Twitter page.

"Fire is really building. People can be seen on the roof,'' he wrote.

Hundreds of people phoned 111 as flames could be seen leaping from the building top at about 1.15pm.

The SkyCity Convention Centre

• The $700m project is well underway and is due to hold its first conference in October next year.
• Site: 1.4ha
• Floor space: 32,500sq m
• Equivalent to 4 rugby fields
• 33 meeting spaces of various sizes
• 5 times larger than existing NZ convention space
• Able to host events for up to 4000-plus people
• NZ's largest theatre, able to seat 2850 people
• NZICC designed by Warren and Mahoney, Woods Bagot, Moller Architects
• 303-room 12-level Horizon Hotel by Warren and Mahoney, Moller Architects

This article was first published on the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.