Emergency services in North Otago were kept busy with two serious house fires in the past few days, including one that was a possible arson.
A house was badly damaged at Herbert yesterday in what investigators believe was a suspicious blaze.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokesman said fire crews from Weston, Kakanui and Oamaru were sent to the house about 2.05am.
The Kakanui brigade returned to the property about 8.20am when smoke was seen rising from one of the rooms.
Fenz investigator Cathy Trevathan said it was too early to say much about the fire.
She was also investigating a fire that caused major damage to a house in Hampden on Saturday night.
Crews from Weston, Palmerston and Hampden were called to that blaze, in London St, just before 8pm. By the time they arrived the single-storey 150sq m wooden house was ``fully involved''.
A Fenz spokesman said the Hampden fire was not being treated as suspicious, although the exact cause was still under investigation.
Property owner Vanessa Hendry said yesterday she was still in shock.
The house was gutted, she said.
``It's pretty crispy.''
The house is next door to her business, Vanessa's Cottage Cafe, and she was thankful the fire did not spread.
``Thank God it didn't touch the cafe. It would have destroyed me. I don't think I would have come back.''
She and cafe co-owner Tim Lockerbie were now awaiting the fire inspector's report and their insurer's findings.
