Woman charged over Leviathan fire

A woman has been charged with arson after fire forced the evacuation of a central Dunedin hotel this morning.

A smoke-logged Leviathan Heritage Hotel had to be evacuated after three fires were "deliberately" lit on the first floor, a senior fire officer said.

Late this afternoon police said a 35-year-old woman had been arrested and charged with arson.

She was due to appear in Dunedin District Court tomorrow.

Earlier, Senior Station Officer Rob Torrance, of Dunedin City Station said Fire and Emergency New Zealand was called to the hotel in Queens Gardens about 8am.

It appeared the fires had been deliberately lit on furniture and a printer in the lounge in the first floor, Mr Torrance said.

Police said they were alerted to the incident at 8.13am and were at the building by 8.30am.

Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

Four fire appliances were called and crews using breathing apparatus quickly extinguished the blaze.

The hotel's sprinkler system meant occupants were safe, but it would be "distressing" waking up to a smoke-logged hotel, Mr Torrance said.

The fires had generated "a hell of a lot of smoke" which had spread from the first to the second floor.

Photo: Debbie Porteous

Evacuated hotel occupants waited on the street outside while firefighters extinguished the blaze and checked how much the smoke had spread through the building.

A witness said he saw smoke but no flames as he got out via the stairwell.

Cumberland St was reduced to one lane near Queens Gardens for a time.