
Large blaze in central Christchurch
A large blaze broke out in a commercial building in the central city early Thursday morning.
What you need to know:
- Residents in parts of Christchurch are now being warned to stay indoors and keep windows shut.
- Thick smoke billowed through the sky after the blaze broke out in Sydenham.
- Dozens of firefighters were tackling the fire, which is in a building just off Colombo St housing a number of companies including Phoenix Recycling and vehicle certification company Auto Inspection Services.
- The fire is understood to have mainly affected the eastern part of the building, housing Auto Inspection Services. Its owner said he believed the fire had started in the adjacent recycling centre and had spread to his firm’s part of the building.
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand incident controller Dave Key said the fire was believed to have started in a pile of rubbish, and that the main damage from the blaze was to the building itself. The blaze was contained shortly after 8am, but fire crews would be at the scene for the rest of the day, he said.
Keep up to date on Stuff website. Did you see the smoke from your place?

Poll: Would you use a pet cemetery?
Dave Stephens has created a pet cemetery on his land.
The 10-acre site in Albany, Auckland, features graves nestled among beautifully manicured gardens and unique art pieces, offering a serene space where visitors can pay their respects in their own way.
Is this something you think you would use? Share your thoughts below.

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26.3% Yes
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72.6% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below

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Poll: Are speed bumps effective or just annoying?
Speed bumps are a hot topic in many neighborhoods - they aim to slow down speeding drivers, but they also impact everyone on the road. In your opinion, do you think they do the trick or are they just an inconvenience?
Share your thoughts below.

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38.9% They do the job
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59.2% I'm not a fan, they're just annoying!
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1.9% Other - I'll share below