Paul Terrence McCurdy, 57, appeared in the Dunedin District Court by video link from prison this morning, charged with the arson of the Phillips St property.
It was originally feared there may have been homeless people squatting in the derelict house, which burned down on October 27, but firefighters cleared the scene and confirmed it was empty.
There was no application to continue the name suppression which was imposed on McCurdy's first appearance.
The Phillips St property was in the process of being demolished after 51-year-old Christopher Paul Bonisch was killed in a fire there last year.
However, work on the site had been halted in September after WorkSafe issued a prohibition notice due to safety concerns.
Neighbour Lance Dyke said he alerted emergency services to the fire early on Friday morning after hearing a big “bang”.
The heat of the inferno caused windows of his home to crack and paint to blister.
The entire back of the burning building looked like a wall of fire, Mr Dyke said.
McCurdy was remanded in custody until next month when a plea will be expected to the charge.
Arson - in which the defendant allegedly "ought to know that danger to life was likely to ensue" - carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment.
