Update: Bus on fire near Pererika St (+video)

An unused bus has been gutted by a suspicious blaze.

The Rotorua Fire Brigade attended the fire off Pererika St, near Trade Central, around 4.30pm.

Megan Ruru, fire communications shift manager, said a bus was on fire near the old post office workshops.

"It was well ablaze when we got there and is being considered suspicious," she said.

A fire safety investigator was tonight at the scene.

The bus was parked next to the Construction Trade Training Unit, behind Pererika St Reserve.

Ms Ruru said there was no danger to any of the nearby buildings.

Local resident Camberley Morton said there was a lot of smoke.

"All outside was filled with smoke, we couldn't see anything."

The bus did not appear to have been used for some time. Ms Ruru said she didn't know who owned it, while Reesbys Buses and Ritchies both told the Rotorua Daily Post it was not one of theirs.