The Alexandra Courthouse. Photo by Lynda van Kempen.
The building, on a Department of Conservation reserve, has a New Zealand Historic Places Trust category 2 classification, and is leased, being used as a cafe.
The Alexandra Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the building at 11.40am and spent about 30 minutes at the site. Senior firefighter Pete Scarlet said it was "a standard chimney fire" and served as a reminder for people to have chimneys cleaned regularly, especially in older buildings.
There was no structural damage to one of Alexandra's oldest stone buildings, which was used a a courthouse from 1879 until 1972.
