Firefighters tackle office tower blaze

Emergency services were at the scene of a fire which started at the top floor of the South32 building on St Georges Terrace.

A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said the fire at 108 St Georges Terrace was first reported at 8.20am this morning.

"It looks like it was a fire in the 51st floor, in the elevator motor room," he said.

"As of 9.05am, the fire was extinguished. Two floors were smoked clogged."

A section of William Street, between Hay Street and St Georges Terrace, was blocked off earlier this morning with staff also told to not enter the building.

The DFES spokesman said 14 appliances attended the fire.

The cause of the fire or the estimated value of the damage are yet to be identified.

Brookfield Properties placed the 51-level, 38,332 square metre, South32 tower on the market in May.

It was anticipating offers of more than $350 million for the office building, which was once the tallest building in Perth.

JLL and CBRE were appointed to sell the building which has a three-storey heritage-listed Palace Hotel adjoining the tower and Meat and Wine Co restaurant on the ground floor.

The building was developed by businessman Alan Bond and was the headquarters of Bankwest before becoming the headquarters of Perth-based mining and metals company South32.