A police guard has been set up outside a derelict Greymouth house that was the target of a suspected arson attack early today.
Emergency services were called to the O'Donnell Street about 4.20am, southern fire communications shift manager Karl Patterson said.
The fire had started in the lounge and fire crews were able to extinguish it quickly.
There were no injuries reported, Mr Patterson said.
The blaze was being treated as suspicious. Police and a fire safety officer would be investigating.