Motive for Wellington arsons may be religious

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Police are investigating whether religion was a motive in a series of suspicious fires in the Wellington region on Saturday night and early yesterday morning.

Four of the six fires were at churches.

Firefighters were first called to a fire at Tony's Tyre Service in Porirua about 6.30pm. It took them two hours to put the fire out and the building was extensively damaged.

At 8.30pm, firefighters were called to a blaze at Porirua's Gospel Church, and soon after to one at Wainuiomata's Gospel Chapel in the Hutt Valley.

About 12.30am, firefighters attended a blaze which engulfed a scout hall in the eastern suburb of Seatoun.

Eight trucks were involved in fighting the fire, which also spread to nearby scrub, Wellington fire communications shift manager David Meikle said.

There were also fires at churches in the Wellington suburb of Karori and in Haywards in the Hutt Valley.

Constable Steve Watts said police would investigate whether the fires were linked and if religion was a motive.

Investigators said the fire at the scout hall was arson, with vegetation placed up against the building and set alight, Mr Watts said. The fire at the Gospel Chapel started after some books were set alight.

- NZPA