Firefighters spent hours putting out a fire near Katikati. Photo / File
Firefighters spent several hours trying to extinguish a fire in a Western Bay of Plenty home that was reported to have been deliberately lit.
Police and fire crews were called to the blaze on State Highway 2 near Tahawai in Katikati at 9.30pm on Saturday.
Katikati fire station officer Brendan Gibbs said firefighters spent hours trying to put out the fire and dampen hotspots.
"We did not get home until 1am," he said.
"The house was quite seriously damaged. I don't think it is repairable."
Gibbs said initial reports were that one person was inside the home but everyone was out by the time firefighters arrived.
He said the fire appeared to have started in the bedroom.
Two fire trucks from Katikati, one water tanker and another fire truck from Ōmokoroa were called to the scene.
A police spokeswoman told the Bay of Plenty Times the fire appeared to have been lit by someone.
The spokeswoman said one person was moderately injured in the fire and was taken to hospital and police were speaking with someone to determine what happened.
As the crowd chanted, Seymour walked back into the Beehive with his MPs.