Flurry of suspicious fires across the country

Photo / File

Suspicious blazes around the country overnight have sparked numerous police and fire investigations.

At 5.30am fire services were called to a rubbish fire at Waitaki Girls' High School in Oamaru, Southern Fire Communications shift manager Karl Patterson said.

The fire was being treated as suspicious and police and fire safety officers were investigating.

At 6.30am Christchurch fire services were called to two car fires on Wordsworth Road in Sydenham.

The two cars were set alight at the same time and the fire spread to a nearby building.

The cars were gutted by fire, while the building's exterior had been damaged, Mr Patterson said.

The fires were being treated as suspicious.

This follows three fires at schools in Christchurch the night before.

Just after midnight early Saturday morning, plastic rubbish bins at the Community Health Dental Centre in Aranui were set on fire, causing significant structural and water damage to the building.

Then around 2am a large metal waste bin at Avondale Primary School was set alight but was extinguished before it could damage the school.

And then about two hours later there was a vegetation fire beside the Kids First early Learning Centre, causing charring to the exterior of the building.

Two suspects were seen at the school at the time of the fire.

While in New Plymouth a 15-year-old boy and 19-year-old man have been arrested overnight following three fires, Detective Chris Allan said.

A rubbish bin on Whiteley Street, a skip at Hunting and Fishing at Port Taranaki, and a caretakers shed at Spotswood College were all set alight.

The two boys have been arrested in relation to all three fires and have been charged with arson, Mr Allan said.

Both would appear in New Plymouth Youth Court tomorrow.