Northland arsons take sinister turn

The hunt for a Kaitaia arsonist has taken a sinister turn -- the latest blaze striking a private home rather than an empty commercial building.

The situation has so concerned police they are pleading for public help to catch the firebug before somebody dies.

Northland region volunteer support officer Colin Kitchen said he had received a call from a young woman reporting a suspicious fire lit against the side of her Okahu Rd, Kaitaia, house between 7pm and 8pm on Sunday night.

"Her landlord saw the smoke and went around and there was the side of the house on fire. It was just about ready to take," he said.

Mr Kitchen said the fire had been extinguished with a garden hose before it could do too much damage.

"Nobody was in the house at the time, but if they were and it could have taken. There's a young lady and a young kiddie who live there -- it's a bit frightening."

Kaitaia police Detective Steve Harris said there were similarities in the way the Okahu Rd fire and other suspicious fires in the area had been started.

In the last 12 months about 20 fires have been linked as possibly by the same person or people.

But the earlier fires usually centred on commercial buildings in downtown Kaitaia, and usually took place between about 9.30pm and 4am.

Suspicious fires to date have included Kaitaia Primary School, the Kaitaia community arts centre, Waitomo Papakainga Development Society office, Mussel Rock Casino Bar and a community hall.

"This one's a bit out of synch as it is out of town and it's residential. It's got me very concerned," Mr Harris said.

"If it is the same people or person, if they are spreading the area and targeting residential buildings, it's going to be only a matter of time before someone is in there -- and then somebody out there is going to be facing a murder charge."

He urged people to keep an open mind regarding the culprit.

"It could be anyone -- a single middle-aged white man, a group of kids, or a woman."

Mr Kitchen said locals were keeping their eyes and ears open and their fingers crossed.

"We don't now whether somebody is copycatting or what. But these fires don't start by themselves."

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)