Smoke rising above Main Street Palmerston North. Photo: Supplied
Firefighters and police were called to a home on fire on Main Street just before 4pm.
Police said a man they believed was holding a weapon has been taken into custody and treated for smoke inhalation.
The 26-year-old faces two charges of wilfully setting fire to a property and a charge of possessing a weapon.
He is due to appear in the Palmertson North District Court on Monday.
Police will remain at the scene overnight.
The house was "well involved" in flames, when two crews arrived and a third crew was called in, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said.
Initially, two nearby houses were reportedly on fire, but firefighters investigating the second house found it was not on fire and smoke there came from a pot on the stove.
