Neighbour of Mt Victoria house on fire last night heard 'explosion'

The result of last night's blaze. Photo / Kasharn Rao

A suspicious house fire in central Wellington last night has left neighbours shocked and saddened.

Ten fire crews battled the blaze, which broke out in a two-storey house on Austin St in Mt Victoria about 9.15pm on Wednesday.

Neighbour Konstantina Moutos said she heard an explosion at about 9.20pm and was then informed that the house next door was on fire.

"It sounded like glass breaking and I actually thought it was a break in."

Earlier that night she said her father heard suspicious noises that sounded like drunk chatter and someone dragging boxes.

"I thought, you just don't know if it's going to spread even further to the houses on the side of it."

Luckily, she said they had no damage themselves.

"It's very sad, because we're family friends. So it's quite sad to see that the house seems to be all gone. I don't see the house being fixed at all."

This is the second suspicious fire in central Wellington this week.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said the entire house had been consumed by the flames.

"We are treating the Wellington fire as suspicious," a police spokeswoman said.

The fire was contained to the property.

Emergency services are at the scene of the Austin St blaze. Photo / Joe Patchett

St John was called to the scene, but it was unclear if anyone was injured.

A witness said flames were bursting out of the house on to the street.

People had run around the house in an attempt to check if anyone was inside, he said.
A fire investigator and police were due back at the scene this morning.

Seven Fire and Emergency New Zealand appliances and three specialist appliances responded to the fire. Photo / Joe Patchett

On Sunday night, another fire left one person in hospital and four homes damaged or destroyed in a suspicious blaze on Hanson St, Newtown.

Police are still appealing for information and CCTV footage from that fire.