An early-morning fire that has destroyed an allegedly abandoned house in Winton is being treated as suspicious.
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said crews from the Winton station were called to an unoccupied or abandoned property in Grange St at 4.30am today.
Two appliances attended and when they arrived the fire was well involved, engulfing the 10 metre by 10 metre property.
Shortly after arrival, crews set off a second alarm and two more appliances, one from the Browns station and one from Wallacetown, arrived to help extinguish the blaze.
‘‘A fire investigator was called as the fire was being treated as suspicious,’’ the spokesman said.
By 5.09am, the fire was contained with crews working on a ‘‘couple of hotspots’’ before the fire was fully put out.
Police were called and the last of the crews left at about 6.40am.
