Fire on Quarantine Island

THE resident's home on Quarantine Island in Otago Harbour was close to being engulfed in flames after a suspicious fire in a hedge tonight.Portobello Station deputy chief fire officer Jamie Ramsay said firefighters were called to the blaze at 6.18pm tonight.

They arrived by boat about 15 minutes later to find a macrocarpa hedge next to the resident's house on the building blaze and quickly put it out, Mr Ramsay said.

Had they not arrived as quickly as they did it was very likely the house would have caught fire.

Police said the fire was thought to be suspicious.