Police investigate suspicious blaze which gutted Chch shop

No one was in the Charity Barn at New Brighton Mall when fire services arrived to fight a fire on Saturday morning. File photo / Star Canterbury

Police are calling for witnesses following a suspicious fire which completely gutted an east Christchurch store early on Saturday morning.

The New Brighton blaze was one of a number of suspected arsons in Christchurch over the weekend, and continues a worrying trend in the city in recent months.

Fire services were called to the blaze at Charity Barn about 1.45am to find the building well alight.

It took five fire trucks to put the fire out, and they were still at the scene this morning, Fire Southern Communications shift manager Brent Dunn said.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire.

New Brighton Police are seeking information anyone in the area of the fire, or who may have witnessed people or vehicles in the New Brighton mall area on Seaview Road or Beresford Street between the hours of 12.30am and 2.00am. Anyone with information should contact Detective James Haigh on 03 3739118.

The New Brighton fire was followed by suspicious fires in Pines Beach, near Kaiapoi, and Heresford St in central Christchurch.

Meanwhile an abandoned house in Oxford was gutted by fire this morning, although the blaze is not thought to be suspicious.

A Fire Service spokesman said crews were called to the fire, on York St, about 1.40am.

Two trucks were called to the house, which was well ablaze on arrival, he said.

The fire was extinguished about 2.50am, and fire safety are investigating the cause of the blaze.