Fire causes $200k damage to George Town house

Police say a fire that caused an estimated $200,000 damage to a Housing Tasmania property was deliberately lit.

POLICE say a fire that caused an estimated $200,000 damage to a Housing Tasmania property at George Town in the state’s north was deliberately lit.

Tasmania Fire Service crews were called to the Stonehouse St blaze about 4.10pm on Sunday, and emergency services found the house engulfed in flames on arrival.

In a statement this morning, Tasmania Police said the house was occupied, but, with the help of neighbours, emergency services were able to quickly ascertain nobody was inside the house upon their attendance. One neighbouring house was evacuated due to heavy smoke contamination.

The scene was inspected by TFS examiners and Tasmania Police detectives and forensic officers, and police said the cause of the blaze was determined as being deliberately lit.

Anyone with information can contact police on 131 444 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 33 000.