Second suspicious fire in Palmerston North

A fire bug may be at work after a second suspicious blaze in a Palmerston North street in a week.

A vehicle parked outside Tony's Tyre Service in Church Street was torched overnight, six days after an historic church in the same street was razed.

Detective Glenda Barnaby said the car was extensively damaged, and police and fire safety officers were examining the scene.

Police wanted to hear from anyone in Church Street between 12.30 and 1.30 this morning.

Last Wednesday fire destroyed the original 19th century All Saints church, which sat at the rear of the newer brick church on Church St and was used as a hall.

Police said that fire was being treated as arson.

The building had a Category 2 listing with the Historic Places Trust and the original part of it was built in 1875.

- NZPA