Fire Service records showed that of about 24,000 commercial buildings nationally, just 2400 have sprinkler systems.
Otago has 845 buildings recorded in the Fire Service's building database as being used for commercial, retail, industrial, manufacturing or storage purposes.
Of those, 94 have sprinkler systems.
The New Zealand Herald reported the national figures yesterday after a large fire in a Mitre 10 store in Onehunga last week.
The fire, which is thought to have been arson, destroyed the store and happened so quickly that customers and staff had to flee for their lives.
Manukau District Chief Fire Officer Larry Cocker told the Herald he had "huge concerns" about similar buildings around the country, which could burn down just as quickly.
Dunedin Chief Fire Officer Dave Seque yesterday echoed those concerns.
It would be preferable if more buildings had sprinklers, Mr Seque said.
While commercial buildings, in the main, had fire alarm systems and were required to have evacuation plans and a certain number of fire exits, the Fire Service "absolutely" endorsed the installation of sprinklers because they could stop a fire in its tracks, he said.
"They are the ultimate fire alarm because not only can they detect a fire, but also send an alert to the Fire Service and start to put the fire out. People don't seem to realise, either, that it's only the sprinkler above the fire that will go off, not across the whole building."
The building code does not require sprinklers to be installed.
It was possible owners of commercial buildings did not install sprinklers because of the added cost, he said.
"But I think people have to look at the bigger picture. What if somewhere like Cadbury's, which only has four sprinklers, burned to the deck, what would be the [economic] impact on Dunedin."
The Mitre 10 Mega in Andersons Bay also had no sprinkler system in place.
"The Fire Service encourages building owners to protect what they value. Compared with the cost of a building, [a sprinkler system] is not expensive."
