Cannabis found in Canterbury house destroyed by fire

A derelict building at Greenpark Huts in the Selwyn district that was destroyed by a fire on Friday may have been used to grow cannabis.

The Lincoln Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the house just before 9am on June 14.

The building was already well ablaze when the crew arrived and it took them about three hours to fully extinguish.

Police are now investigating after cannabis was found at the property.

"The fire itself is not a police matter, however, a small amount of cannabis was located within the address which police attended the scene for," a police spokesperson said.

"All equipment and plants were destroyed (in the fire), and inquiries are ongoing.”

Fire and Emergency NZ specialist fire investigator Mitchell Jeffery said the cause of the blaze was not suspicious.

But he said the exact cause is yet to be determined as the building was unsafe for investigators to enter.

Jeffery said the derelict house still had power before the fire and from outside the blaze appeared to have started in the main living area.

“We are going to speak to the owner and he might be able to inform us of what was in that room that may have potentially started it.”

Nearby residents spoken to by Selwyn Times said they knew who owned the house but no one had spoken to the person or seen anyone at the property.