Fire wrecked house was crime pad

Police are hoping to complete a scene examination of the remains of an Ohauiti house destroyed in a suspicious fire on Wednesday morning today.

Firefighters were called to the two-storey home in a rural area of Ohauiti Road at about 5.15am on Wednesday where they arrived to find the house ablaze.

Fire safety will undertake a scene examination of the Ohauiti house destroyed by fire in the next two days.

The fire continued to burn until about 9am almost completely destroying the property.

A demolition team were called in late on Wednesday afternoon to demolish the house.

Senior Sergeant Lew Warner says police and fire safety were unable to complete a scene examination on Wednesday as the house continued to smoulder throughout the day.

Although the exact cause of the fire is not yet known police are treating the blaze as a suspected arson.

Neighbours at the scene told SunLive no one was living in the house at the time with the previous tenants moving out last week.

Tauranga fire safety officer Ken McKeagg says they believe the fire started in the middle of the house as that is where it caved in.

The house has been on the police radar since it was involved in a drug raid in 2010.

The house was subject to a court-ordered restraining order under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act and was under the control of the Official Assignee.

Detective Logan Nicholas says the asset was obtained through criminal activity.

The Crown uses the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to confiscate property obtained through criminal activity.

Under the act assets can be ordered to be forfeited without any criminal conviction if the court is satisfied the assets were gathered through crime.

Police would like to speak with anyone who has seen any suspicious behaviour in the area in the last few days.

"We are investigating a possible arson.

"We would like to speak with neighbours or anyone in the area who may have seen people acting suspiciously or have any information about the fire."

Neighbours also told SunLive that the water tank had been removed, along with the gates to the property, when the occupants left the house.

The pre-dawn blaze lit up the morning sky from 5.15am.

Anyone with information about the fire can call Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.