One man is dead and a house is gutted after two suspicious fires in the central North Island on Friday night.
Firefighters discovered the body of Jason Robert Charles Spice after extinguishing a blaze at his New Plymouth home about 6.45pm.
Spice is understood to have been the sole occupant.
New Plymouth police said the fire was deliberately lit, but they did not want to talk to anyone else. The death would be referred to the coroner.
Meanwhile, a house on Church St in Masterton was gutted in an arson attack at 10.45pm. The couple who had lived in the rental property for two years were out at the time.
