Police say it was "lucky'' a suspected arson did not rip through an entire home in the Dunedin suburb of Corstorphine this morning.
The Fire Service was called to the two-storey property in Corstorphine Rd and arrived about 7.15am to find a fire in the kitchen.
Detective Sergeant Stan Leishman said the kitchen was "gutted" and it was lucky the fire did not spread elsewhere.
Neighbours alerted the Fire Service this morning and tried to put the fire out, but it was too involved, Det Sgt Leishman said.
The fire was being investigated as arson. It was believed the offender got in the house through a smashed window on the lower floor before setting the fire in the kitchen upstairs. It was not known when this happened.
Anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area was asked to contact police.
Police and a fire safety investigator were at the scene this morning.
The family who live at the property was on holiday.
