A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokesman said crews responded to multiple reports of a strong gas smell at the intersection of George St and Cambria Pl about 10am today.
As a precaution, multiple tenants had been evacuated.
Two crews attended from Lookout Point and Willowbank stations.
Police were helping with a cordon and traffic management.
A technician from Genesis Energy was inspecting the site.
The gas smell was believed to be confined to one building and Fenz crews would ventilate it using fans once the technician was done, the spokesman said.
The smell was ‘‘pretty bad’’ although she did not notice it until she got closer.
She described the situation as ‘‘a ‘lil' hectic’’ and expressed safety concerns, especially as she also lived in the area.
The worker said she and her flatmates had been on edge all night after a gas smell sparked another emergency services callout yesterday morning.
The business downstairs had been to visit them, expressing similar concerns, she said.
This afternoon a Genesis Energy spokesman said no leak had been detected.
The smell was possibly related to the excavation work being done on Hanover St, with the recent rain mixing with old gas residue in the soil to give off a ‘‘faint smell’’, he said.
The gas network would continue to be monitored over the coming days.
Fenz crews attended another call to George St due to the smell at about 2.30pm, the Fenz spokesman said.
