Fire destroyed a South Canterbury house yesterday morning.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said fire crews were called to the blaze at an Elephant Hill property on Hakataramea Highway (State Highway82) across the Waitaki River from Duntroon, shortly after 10am.
Volunteers from Duntroon, Kurow, Hakataramea, and two crews from the Waimate Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to reports of a house on fire, he said.
"Indications from the 111 callers were [the fire] appeared to be in the roof of the house."
When firefighters arrived the flames had spread throughout the majority of the house, and the fire was burning intensely.
Fire crews did not enter the single-storey house and focused on protecting a garage and woodshed nearby "which suggests it was a total loss".
There were no reports of injuries, and all occupants were outside the house when fire crews arrived.
A fire investigator was called from Timaru.
Crews were at the scene until about 3.30pm, the spokesman said.
The fire was not believed to be suspicious.
