Emergency services called to 'suspicious' fire on 17th Ave in Tauranga

A building has been gutted in a "suspicious" fire at The Historic Village in Tauranga overnight.

No one was in the building at the time or has been injured in the fire, Tauranga City Council said in a statement this morning.

"One of 60 buildings in Tauranga's Historic Village was destroyed by fire overnight. The fire began at approximately 12.30am.

A firefighter dampens down the destroyed building this morning. Photo / Emma Houpt

"Fire crews were quickly at the scene and prevented the fire from spreading to any other buildings at the village. Police have been on-site overnight and will carry out an investigation into the cause of the fire now it's light," the council said.

"The affected building is on the outskirts of the village away from other buildings. The area has been cordoned off from the rest of the village, which will be open for business as usual today."

A building gutted by fire at The Historic Village this morning. Photo / Emma Houpt

A police spokeswoman said police were called about 12.45pm to a premises on 17 Ave following a report of a fire.

"It's being treated as suspicious.

"Police conducted area inquiries at the time however no one was located," she said.

No one was in the building at the time or has been injured in the fire. Photo / Emma Houpt

Police will make inquiries along with Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ).

A reporter at the scene said a stand alone building in the complex had been gutted by fire and FENZ staff were dampening down hotspots.

A FENZ spokesman said three appliances from Tauranga and one from Greerton attended.