Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) on Friday said people were still unaccounted for following a fierce blaze that ripped through the Phillips St property, which was being demolished after Christopher Paul Bonisch, 51, was killed in a fire in the building last year.
Neighbours said two or three homeless people slept in the derelict house periodically and it was feared someone may have been trapped in the fire.
After scene examinations were conducted on Saturday by Environment Science and Research (ESR) scientists, Fenz specialist fire investigators, and police, it was confirmed one person was located at the scene and nobody had died as a result of the fire.
Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Hanna said police were investigating the fire.
"It’s early days into the investigation of how the fire started and why and what exactly happened."
There was no suspect for any offence at present.
"We haven’t got anything 100% yet on anything to say if it was an arson or if it was accidental.
"At the moment we’re talking to a lot of people who have either been to that address in recent weeks or months to try and establish the movements of who’s been coming and going."
A part of South Rd was still closed to the public on Saturday.
It was guarded by security and police as a team of Fenz and ESR staff dug through the rubble left over from the fire.
It has emerged that WorkSafe last month issued a prohibition notice on the property, forcing workers to halt demolition over safety concerns.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen anything at 3 Phillip St, or nearby, overnight on October 26, and during the early hours of October 27 — particularly in the hours leading up to when the fire was discovered about 6.30am.
