Teen arrested over house fire

JEFF TOLLAN/Timaru Herald

AFTER THE BLAZE: Timaru fire safety officer Kevin Collins observes the wreckage of a suspicious fire at a Meyer St property in Waimate.

MARK LAWSON/Timaru Herald

ALL GONE: Tenant Josh O'Neill said the fire caused more than $20,000 worth of damage

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An 18-year-old has been arrested in connection with a house fire in Waimate which left a young tenant with "only the shirt on my back".

Detective Greg Harrison said the fire at a Meyer St property on Friday was being treated as suspicious.

Police want to speak to anyone who can provide information about the incident.

It is understood the fire began about 9.30pm on Friday. Waimate deputy chief fire officer Roger Bell said the fire brigade arrived about 10pm, by which stage the house was already "heavily involved".

Mr Bell said it took about six minutes to get the fire under control, but the house was extensively damaged.

Neighbour Maureen Reid said she saw the house become quickly engulfed in flames.

"It's such a horrid waste, what happened. I don't understand why people would do this."

The house was rented by truck driver Josh O'Neill, 19.

Mr O'Neill said he was out when the fire started and he raced home after someone sent him a text about it. However, he said that everything was gone by the time he got back.

"I have no insurance, and have nothing left, only the shirt on my back. I must have lost more than $20,000 worth of possessions. Everything I worked for is now gone," he said.

"I had been living at the place for more than a year and a half. The landlord, a close family friend, passed away only a couple of weeks ago. Everything about this is awful."

Mrs Reid said the street had been busy during the weekend, with people clamouring to look at the damage.

"We've had dozens of people drive by to take a look at the house, people have been taking photos and everything."

A teenager is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Waimate fire brigade attended another structural fire in High St on Saturday morning.

Mr Bell said a faulty fireplace may have caused the blaze.

"We got it under control relatively quickly, but there was a lot of smoke and water damage to deal with.

"Mostly, the fire was confined to the area of origin, and there was not a great deal of internal damage."

- © Fairfax NZ News