Two homes have suffered extensive damage after separate house fires at the top of the South Island this morning.
Fire crews were called to the first in Richmond, Nelson, at 9am, southern fire communications spokesman Andrew Norris said.
The house was well-involved when fire crews arrived and the call was escalated to a second alarm, with four fire engines attending.
Mr Norris said the house suffered extensive damage. He did not know whether anyone was home at the time of the fire, but no one was injured.
Crews were also called to a house fire in Blenheim at 10.40am.
"On arrival the house was found to be well involved, and in fact the fire was visible from some distance away," Mr Norris said.
Firefighters were still on the scene dampening down and investigating.
Neither fire was considered to be suspicious, but the causes were not yet known.
