Fire services search person after Darfield fire

Fire services are searching for a person in a South Island property that had caught fire after they received reports the home was inhabited. Photo / File

Fire services are searching for a person in a South Island property that had caught fire after they received reports the home was inhabited.

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before midnight to a house on Russell Street in Darfield after went up in flames.

Southern fire communications shift manager, Andrew Norris, said the fire brigade had been informed that a person was in the building.

"Initial reports indicated there was somebody in the house. On arrival at that fire the house was well involved. They have searched the house but they have been unable to locate anybody at this stage so we are hoping there was nobody in there," he said.

"They are conducting secondary searches now. They are simultaneously extinguishing the fire and searching the house."

He said the house was "severely" damaged.

"They should know with good certainty [soon] whether or not there is anybody inside."
Four appliances are at the scene and working to extinguish the blaze.

Meanwhile, Fire Services also attended a blaze at an industrial building in the port of Bluff.

Mr Norris said the fire had now been contained.

"A large fire [was] burning in the middle of that building when fire crews arrived. We don't know the extent of the damage ... but they said the middle section of the building was well involved in fire.

He said nobody had been injured.