Salvation Army store hit by overnight fire

Firefighters are today dampening down hot spots after a suspicious fire ripped through a Salvation Army second-hand clothing store in Whakatane early today.

Five services were called out to the blaze on King Street at 1.45am.

Northern fire communications shift manager Steve Smith said at least five appliances had attended the incident, and, although the fire was pretty much out, three were still at the scene.

"They'll hang round for an hour or so to make sure it doesn't flare up again."

Mr Smith said a fire safety team were trying to establish the cause of the fire, and at this point it was being treated as suspicious.

- NZPA