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A man rammed a late-model Mercedes into a house and then set the building alight yesterday, say police.
Cinnabar Place in Massey North was cordoned off as 23 firefighters from four fire engines worked to contain the blaze.
Acting Detective Sergeant Josh Meinsma of Henderson said a man drove his car into the garage door before entering the house and lighting a fire. No one was inside at the time.
Waitakere deputy chief fire officer Kerry Gregory said the fire was lit in a bedroom but firefighters had to remove sheeting on top of the house to put out the flames as they had travelled under a false ceiling, making it difficult to access from inside the house.
Neighbour Nee Peteru, 28, said he rushed over when he saw smoke billowing from the house. He said he saw a middle-aged Pakeha man standing watching the fire, as was the female occupant of the house.
"She was yelling at him, she was really pissed off and angry. If that was my house, I would be too. He didn't say anything, his head was just bowed down."
Another neighbour said the man was the woman's former partner.
A 47-year-old man has been charged with arson and will appear in Waitakere District Court today.
