Holy smoke

The congregation waits outside St Patrick's Basilica in Dunedin while Fire and Emergency New Zealand personnel investigate inside yesterday evening.

Fr Jamie Lalaguna said firefighters arrived at the South Dunedin church after incense from a thurible set off the smoke alarm.

The church’s Filipino community was celebrating Santacruzan — the last day of the Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) festival — at the time.

About 100 people left the church and waited outside while firefighters secured the premises.

A Fenz spokesman said two units from Dunedin Central Station and one from St Kilda responded to the false alarm just after 7pm.