(File photo) Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Two men have been arrested for illegal gun possession near a suspected arson at a Huntly business, and police are appealing for anyone who saw the fire to get in touch.
Detective Sergeant Simon Evans said the fire in a commercial premises on Great South Road - just south of Alder Lane - was reported to emergency services about 1:30am on Sunday.
Fire investigators and police are now carrying out a scene examination, but the fire is thought to be suspicious.
Officers in the area stopped a car with two men in it near the scene of the fire. A gun was found inside the vehicle and the two men were arrested, a police spokesperson said.
It was unclear whether there was any connection between the arrested pair and the blaze, they said.
However police would also like to hear from anyone who saw what happened, who could get hold of them by calling 105, or reporting on their website, at police.govt.nz/use-105 using the reference number 250316/3289.
Fire investigators have also been working at the scene of a Hamilton fire, which firefighters were called to about 1am on Sunday. Police said that blaze was in a commercial building and there was nothing to suggest it was suspicious at this stage, although it was in the same street as a suspected arson, that took place last week that is being investigated.
A drought was declared for Waikato earlier this month, and North Waikato is currently under a Prohibited Fire Season notice, meaning no outdoor fires are allowed, and people have been asked to avoid activities that can generate sparks outdoors, including mowing the lawns or using power tools.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
