Arson suspected in Invercargill house fire

A Southland home has been badly damaged in a suspicious overnight blaze. Image / Google Maps

An Invercargill house fire is being treated as a suspected arson.

A blaze tore through a two-storey property early today, said Fire and Emergency southern communications shift manager Brent Dunne. Smoke alarms were activated about 1.10am.

Those inside the smoke-logged home were able to flee the Tyne St property before it burst into flames.

Dunne said by the time crews arrived a large part of the home was engulfed by fire.

Rooms in the home were badly damaged but firefighters managed to stop the fire from spreading throughout the entire property.

Five crews battled the blaze at its height.

Specialist fire investigators would be returning to the property this morning to work out the cause of the blaze, which was being treated as a suspected arson, he said.