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Police are hunting a suspected arsonist after a fire all but destroyed a New Plymouth fibreglass factory at the weekend.
They are appealing for witnesses to the blaze, which caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage, to come forward.
Detective Mark Scott, of New Plymouth, told the Taranaki Daily News the building had historically been the target of burglaries and vandalism because of its proximity to Lake Rotomanu, a popular hangout for boy racers.
"The position of the building makes it a vulnerable and easy target for vandals. It is often broken into. Lake Rotomanu is a popular place for young people in their cars and people drinking," Mr Scott said.
The cause of the fire was yet to be determined, but police were treating it as highly suspicious.
Firefighters arrived at the blaze at 2.20am on Saturday and struggled for more than four hours to extinguish the fire in the northwest end of the building.
Firefighters returned to the site on Saturday afternoon to wash the building down to prevent the asbestos, in the building's wall linings and ceiling, from becoming airborne.
- NZPA
