Fire brigades from Gore and Mataura combined to fight the blaze which gutted a Wolsley St house early yesterday morning.
The Gore Volunteer Fire Brigade was alerted the wooden villa was on fire at 2.30am, Gore Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Steve Lee said.
The house's aluminium roof melted in the intense heat.
There were 45 firefighters, four fire engines and a tanker involved in fighting the blaze, Mr Lee said.
Three crews used breathing apparatus.
It took 40 minutes to get the blaze under control.
Firefighters were unsure if there was anyone inside the house when they arrived. However, the dwelling was unoccupied.
The alarm was raised by a neighbour who was alerted by a passerby, Mr Lee said.
When the brigade arrived, the house the fire was well established.
``We called for assistance from the Mataura brigade, which brought two trucks to assist.''
Four fire engines and a tanker were involved in the firefighting operation, he said.
The high demand for water to fight the fire resulted in the Mataura brigade relay pumping from Norton St, several blocks from the site of the blaze, he said.
The brigade concentrated on containing the fire as there had been a possibility it could have ignited a garage on the property and a boundary hedge, he said.
Sergeant Clint Wright, of Gore, said the fire was being treated as suspicious.
Fire investigators were at the fire scene yesterday carrying out an investigation.
margaret.phillips@
theensign.co.nz
