Probe after rental home hit by fire

A Marewa house damaged by fire is under investigation.

A Marewa house damaged by an early-morning blaze yesterday has led to investigations by police and fire inspectors.

Firefighters were called to the Kettle Crescent house, which is on a back section, about 2.40am.

The fire got into the ceiling and while the structure of the house was not badly damaged there was damage throughout the interior.

"It is under investigation and we are doing scene examinations at this time," Detective Darren Buckley said.

Whether it was suspicious has not been ruled out.

Fire investigators were also at the scene yesterday morning with the owners of the small house who live in Waipukurau.

It was being rented to a woman who had been living there with her two children although it was understood they had not been home at the time of the fire.

The couple who own the house said while the damage was not immediately evident from the outside, it was "pretty bad".

They got the phone call from the fire service about 4am.

"It's not what you want to hear," the man said.

"This was our retirement scheme."

He said while the property was insured they were in for a long seven or eight months until everything was put right again.

Police would not comment on whether there had been a possible break-in at the house.

"All we can say is it is under investigation."

The owners said the woman tenant was now staying with family.