Smoke was emerging from the hallway of a building at Miramar Central School on Saturday.

A man in his 50s was taken into custody after a fire in an eastern Wellington school.

The fire was reported at 5.45pm on Saturday and fully extinguished at 6.43pm, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said.

Police on Sunday confirmed a man in his 50s was arrested in relation to the fire.

KEVIN STENT/STUFF Firemen battle to ventilate the roof aof a building at the scene of a fire at Miramar Central School in Wellington on Saturday.

It was not yet clear what charges would be laid.

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The fire came as most of New Zealand was in coronavirus lockdown.

Large clouds of smoke could be seen across the suburb.

The fire appeared to have started in the ceiling of a classroom block.

In a post on Facebook, Miramar Central School said rooms 11 and 12 had been affected by the blaze.

Scene investigators were working to determine the cause.