Fires rip through South Island homes

Firefighters were called to three South Island blazes last night. Photo / Wayne Drought

Two homes have been destroyed and one badly damaged after three overnight fires in the South Island.

A Fire Service spokesman said blazes in Springvale in Central Otago, and Hokonui in Southland, gutted two houses.

Firefighters contained a fire in a Christchurch home but the house was extensively smoke damaged.

The spokesman said the Hokonui fire broke out just before 8pm and crews from surrounding districts fought the blaze.

The house was occupied at the time but everyone escaped without injury.

The Springvale blaze broke out two hours later and crews from Alexandra, Clyde and Omakau and a council tanker from Dunstan were needed to fight the fire. The unoccupied home was well ablaze when firefighters arrived and could not be saved.

The Christchurch fire, which broke out around 7.30pm, was confined to the laundry area.

Nobody was home at the Linwood property but smoke damaged the remainder of the single-storey house.

Fire safety officers would be returning to the Hokonui and Springvale properties this morning to determine the cause of the fires.

NZH