The glow and smoke from a blaze at Apple Motor Inn guided Hastings fire crews to a unit which was, "well involved" when they arrived in the early hours of yesterday morning.
It took two high pressure hoses, two trucks and eight men to quell the fire, which was believedto be suspicious, Hastings senior station officer Kerry Harford said.
"The crew could see where they were going when they left the station because of the glow in the sky and the smoke."
Hawke's Bay Today understands the fire started about midnight and gutted the motel unit, which is attached to a block of six others at ground level.
Once the severely damaged room was dampened down, a police guard was put in place for the night to preserve any evidence as to how the blaze may have started.
An investigator for the New Zealand Fire Service, Mike Finucane, worked on site for about three hours yesterday, before referring the case to Hastings CIB.
"All I can say is that it is suspicious and the investigation is on-going. I was alerted last night and the scene was secured by a guard until I arrived in the morning," he said.
A spokesman at the Apple Motor Inn did not want to make any comment for fear of jeopardising the investigation.
