Suspicious fire engulfs abandoned house

By Geoff Sloan

An abandoned house in east Christchurch has been badly damaged in a suspicious early morning fire. 

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson said they received multiple calls about the blaze on Pages Rd, Aranui, just after 5am on Wednesday.

The fire at the Pages Rd house was reported just after 5am on Wednesday. Photo: Deborah McInnes /...
The fire at the Pages Rd house was reported just after 5am on Wednesday. Photo: Deborah McInnes / Facebook
Crews from the Anzac and Woolston stations battled the blaze and police blocked the road off for a time to allow the crews to run their hoses to the fire hydrant.

The Fenz spokesperson said the fire was being treated as suspicious and a fire investigator was at the site. 

Crews were still dampening down hotspots at 9am.

The fire in the abandoned house is being treated as suspicious. Photo: Google
The fire in the abandoned house is being treated as suspicious. Photo: Google