Fires in Frimley, Hastings and Napier spark hunt for firestarter

Five smaller fires in Hastings could possibly be linked, happening around the suburb of Frimley.

At least seven, mainly small fires, in Hastings and Napier in less than four weeks are now being considered as possible arson.

Detective Ryan Honeyfield says the five smaller fires in Hastings could possibly be linked, happening around the suburb of Frimley.

Four were set in bushes, in one case an elderly man knowing nothing of the fire outside until he awoke one morning to discover the trees at the front of his property had been burned.

The first was in Lyndhurst Rd on March 16, two were at the same Nottingley Rd property on the night of Christmas Day and early morning of December 30.

The most recent was on Sunday, the same day it was discovered a fire had been set in a tractor at a business yard in Omahu Rd, Hastings.

Police believe there are no links to or between a house fire in a vehicle and rental unit in Durham Ave, Napier, on the night of Christmas Day, and a house fire in Holmes Place, Flaxmere, on January 2.

Mr Honeyfield said police were still seeking any information which could be linked to the fires, including people walking or running through the Frimley area.

"There's no further information. So we're still reaching out to members of the public. You can't really rule out anyone."