Investigation under way into cause of third abandoned house fire in two months

There has been another fire at an abandoned house in Christchurch - the third in two months.

Emergency services were called to the blaze on Connal St in Woolston just after midnight on Tuesday.

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said the property was well ablaze on arrival.

"The Woolston crew attended. The house was extensively damaged in the fire."

The spokesman said it is being treated as suspicious and a fire investigator was on-site on Tuesday morning to determine the cause.

It follows another fire at an abandoned house in the city on January 27.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze in Fendalton at a two-storey house. It was already "well involved" when fire crews arrived.

A longtime observer said the Fendalton house was frequently visited by trespassers.

Greg Brown, a caretaker from the church across the road, said he would frequently shut the property's gate to keep people out.

He said it was often visited by kids who would have parties in the house which has been abandoned since the Christchurch earthquakes.

On December 1, an abandoned villa, which featured in Peter Jackson's film Heavenly Creatures, went up in flames shortly after 5.20am.

Owner Andy Wong said the Edwardian property had a history of problematic squatters. It was the second fire there in less than two years.

It is believed someone entered the boarded-up building via an existing ladder before setting fire to the property, he said.