Police at site of suspicious fire at block of Christchurch flats

Photo / NZH

A fire at a block of flats in Christchurch this morning is being treated as suspicious.

The blaze broke out at the two-storey property Hampshire St in Aranui at about 5.07am.

Stuff has reported the flat is believed to have been torched following an argument between a couple living there.

A top storey window at the flat was broken and appeared to have been charred by the blaze. Several spray paint tags on the outside of the flat and one on the inside of the flat were visible from the street, it reported.

A nearby neighbour told Stuff she heard the couple who live at the flat fighting in the early hours of Thursday morning.

She said the couple was known to have loud arguments, and she believed one of them set the flat alight after the dispute.

Early reports suggest no one was in the house at the time of the fire.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said a fire investigator was expected at the property later this morning to determine the cause.

She said the small fire is not believed to have caused significant damage.

Fire crews from the Christchurch central and Anzac stations attended.

A Police spokeswoman said they were still on the scene at 7.45am.

"The circumstances of the fire are under investigation."