A house near Lyttelton has been destroyed in a suspicious fire overnight.
Emergency services responded to what they initially thought was a vegetation blaze around 1am, but then discovered a house in the middle of the flames.
According to Fairfax Media, it took three fire appliances and a water tanker until 4am to get the blaze under control.
Nobody was at the property during the fire, and ambulances did not attend the scene.
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