Crime scene: Tauranga arson likely

A fire which destroyed a storage container off Chapel St in Tauranga on Sunday night is being treated as arson.

The container, which was behind Palmers Garden World, belonged to the Otumoetai Lions Club, and contained a barbecue trailer, all the club's charity casino equipment and its records for the last 30 years.

Garden centre staff found a green bottle of diesel by the fence and police believe it may have been used to start the fire.

Any information should be given to Tauranga CIB on (07) 577-4300.