Arson suspected in house blaze

Photo / Greymouth Star

A vacant Cobden house has been gutted in a suspicious West Coast fire.

Greymouth CIB detectives are investigating the Saturday night blaze, which Cobden chief fire officer Gary Pollock said was "well involved" when the brigade arrived.

Three fire trucks from Cobden and Runanga attended.

Mr Pollock was unable to reveal how the fire started because it was "under investigation".

Firefighters were alerted by someone walking past the Munro Street house.

Police have appealed for information from anyone who noticed unusual activity in the area between 10pm and 11.30pm on Saturday, or anyone who has noticed nuisance-type fires in recent weeks that may not have been reported.

It comes about seven months after a spate of suspicious fires in the Cobden suburb, all under the cover of darkness. Police were warning then that an arsonist may be at work and called for residents to be vigilant.