Police say a fire in Kaitangata yesterday morning is no longer being treated as suspicious, after initial reports suggested it might be.
Fire Communications shift manager Ian Littlejohn said the Fire Service was alerted to a shed fire in Salcombe St, Kaitangata at 1.46am on Monday.
Two appliances, from the Kaitangata and Balclutha brigades,
arrived to find the shed well ablaze.
The fire was brought under control at 3.36am.
Mr Littlejohn police were also sent to the scene for crowd control. The blaze was initially thought suspicious, as there was no clear cause at the time.
However Senior Constable Craig Bennett, of Lawrence, said the fire was no longer being treated as suspicious.
It was believed it started from hot ashes disposed of in an ash bucket in the shed.
Snr Const Bennett said the shed was destroyed.
No other buildings were damaged by the fire, which was less than 3m away from a house.
``Great work by [the fire crew] which stopped it spreading and becoming more serious with neighbouring properties and the house,'' Snr Const Bennett said.
He reminded people to be careful when disposing of ash in bins and to make sure embers were completely out.
It was something to be wary of in colder months, Snr Const Bennett said.
