Police investigating suspicious Addington fire after two vehicles consumed by flames

Two vehicles caught fire in the Christchurch suburb of Addington last night, sending plumes of black smoke across the city.

Emergency services attended Walsall St shortly after 7pm following reports that some wooden pallets had caught fire.

Upon arrival, two Fire and Emergency NZ appliances found two cars that had also caught ablaze.

A police spokesperson said there was “thick black smoke” in the area and an ambulance was requested as a precaution.

Emergency services battle a blaze that engulfed two vehicles in Addington. Photo / Connor Nicholson-Plank

Video sent to the Herald shows large flames and black smoke billowing from a row of vehicles on the residential street.

Witness Connor Nicholson-Plank said the scene was “pretty hectic”, with multiple emergency services battling the “massive fire”.

Nicholson-Plank said he spoke with a police officer at the scene when things had died down, who told him that “a couple of troublemakers” set the wooden pallets on fire.

“They were looking for CCTV cameras around the area.”

A white vehicle was badly damaged in the blaze. Photo / Connor Nicholson-Plank

Police confirmed they are treating the fire as suspicious.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 7.30pm.

Nicholson-Plank said there was a burnt smell in the air and nearby residents had been advised to close their windows and doors.