A house in Southland has been badly damaged by fire.
The blaze was spotted by a truck driver heading down State Highway One, who called 111 and went to the house to check no one was inside.
Fire Service shift manager Riwai Grace said the house on Ferry Rd in Edendale was well alight when crews arrived at about 4am.
Firefighters are now ventilating the property, doing salvage work and waiting for a thermal imaging camera to arrive from Oamaru.
