Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman says he supports the investigation into the fire. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
Businesses in South Auckland have been damaged by a fire that took hold at a block of shops on Wednesday night.
The fire broke out just before 9pm but the blaze has now been extinguished.
Part of Great South Road and the southern motorway off-ramp at Takanini were closed but have now reopened.
Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman told Morning Report the nearby BP station also emptied its tanks as a precaution last night, but it had reopened on Thursday.
"it's a very distressing time for everybody" - Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman
What remained from the fire was a "gutted shell of a building", Newman said.
"There's a block of shops where the fire has obviously caused damage, so the extent of across that particular property will have to be determined but at least the one business has obviously been gutted and I imagine other businesses have been affected.
"It had the potential to become far worse than what eventually took place. Fire and Emergency did a great job, a lot of crews working through the night on that."
Manurewa-Papakura Ward councillor Daniel Newman says he knew some of the business owners. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
He was aware of the fire when it started on Wednesday night, he said.
"I don't live too far from this particular location in Takanini ... there'll be some affected business owners, people I know who will obviously be very - it's a very distressing time for everybody."
Counties Manukau assistant fire commander Dave McKeown said the fire began in a restaurant, and quickly took over the building.
McKeown said spread through a ceiling cavity, causing extensive structural and smoke damage.
Everyone in the building was able to leave safely, he said.
An investigation was underway into the cause of the fire, and Newman said he supported that.
Damage seen in a Physio Mechanics clinic. Photo: RNZ / Bailey Brannon