The battery of a van appears to be the cause of a fire that ignited it at a Wanaka property this morning.
The Wanaka Solar van caught alight moments after arriving at the Totara Tce property around 11am, after driver Stacey Cowan started smelling smoke as she pulled in.
"I then saw smoke coming out of the front seat, which is where the battery is, so I think it must be [the cause]."
Smoke clouds the front of the van as fire crews attempt to extinguish the fire. Photo: Sean Nugent
"It was a freak accident."
Two fire appliances attended the scene and closed the street for half an hour as they worked to extinguish the flames.
The van was gutted and small explosions could be heard, which Ms Cowan attributed to air canisters stored in the back of the van.
No-one one was hurt in the incident.
