Arson attacks continue in OT

A Whangarei suburb has been struck by the fourth suspected arson in six days.
A one-bedroom unit in a Housing New Zealand complex in Matai St, Otangarei, was damaged by fire late on Wednesday night.
Residents of neighbouring units said the flat had been unoccupied for about a month during which time rubbish had piled up on a couch next to the stucco unit, and at its back door.
Ngaire Nathan, who lives in a nearby flat, said Wednesday night had seemed fairly quiet.
"I was just going to sleep when I heard a bang. I came out and the whole place was on fire. Everybody woke up. The fire was getting really high."
Fire investigator Terry Baylis said it appeared two fires had been deliberately lit - one on the couch, and one at the back door before 11pm.
Most of the damage was restricted to the outside of the flat, although it and adjoining units were affected by smoke.
In light of the latest suspicious fire, Mr Baylis urged "community vigilance".
One Matai St resident said a firefighter who attended the blaze had quipped that it might be time for the Fire Service to set up a station in Otangarei.
He was referring to the fact that it was the crew's sixth visit to the suburb since last Friday.
During that period Whangarei firefighters attended nine other fires in urban Whangarei.
Two of the suspicious Otangarei fires were at the privately owned Holmes Ave house where teenager Mairina Dunn was killed late last month.
The first fire at the house was early last Friday morning, and the second was on Monday afternoon.
Police have charged Reremoana Luana Cooper with lighting the first of those fires.
All windows and doors at the Holmes Ave house are now boarded up, and a security guard is stationed at the property.
The other Otangarei incidents were a small grass fire on Friday about 5pm, in William Jones Dr near the primary school; on Sunday two small fires were reported before 7pm at Otangarei Primary but resulted in no serious damage; and on Tuesday a car was burnt in William Jones Dr about 4pm.
A spokeswoman for Whangarei police said there was nothing to suggest any of the fires were linked.
* More suspected arson in Northland
By Mike Barrington
Ignited toilet paper and accelerant caused an explosion in toilets next to the Dargaville Town Hall yesterday.
Police after investigating after the Dargaville Volunteer Fire Brigade called them following the suspected arson in the concrete toilet block in Hokianga Rd at 4.11pm.
Station officer Michael Ross said people noticed a fire in the toilets, went in to see what was happening, and when they walked out of the toilets there was a small explosion.
They then called the brigade.
"We sent two appliances and when they arrived the fire had burnt out, but there was a strong smell of accelerant," Mr Ross said.
"Apparently kids filled up a hand basin with toilet paper and accelerant and set it alight.
"The fire couldn't go anywhere because it was in a concrete building. But we don't want that sort of thing going on around town. It could cause a serious fire in a wooden building."
Meanwhile, the Mangonui Volunteer Fire Brigade yesterday put out a fire in a forestry block in Backriver Rd near the Far North town.
Station officer Greg Beeson said two appliances called out at 2.55pm took about an hour to extinguish the blaze in scrub under nearly a hectare of pine trees.
The fire had damaged the bases of some trees, but they had not burned to their full height.
A Juken New Zealand Ltd truck and fire crew had monitored the fire and the Taupo Bay Rural Fire Party had "mopped up" afterwards.
Mr Beeson said the cause of the fire had not yet been established.
As it was by the roadside, it could possibly have been caused by a discarded cigarette butt.