Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Suspected arson destroys Nelson house

Updated at 12:10 pm on 20 May 2012

A house and garage will have to be demolished following a suspected arson in the Nelson suburb of Richmond.

Police say the buildings appear to have been set on fire separately at about 8.30pm on Saturday while the occupants of the property were away. There were no injuries.

Fire crews and six engines were called to the blaze which took until shortly after 1am on Sunday to extinguish.

The back of the house was consumed by fire and the rest of the property had severe smoke damage.

Police say it is not yet known whether the fire is linked to arsons in the region including a string of fires near Picton which destroyed three holiday homes a week ago.

In Invercargill, a house burned down in a fire early on Sunday morning. The fire at the property in Strathern broke out around 3am and was not thought to have been suspicious.

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