A vacant home on Monmouth Street in Morningside has been destroyed by an early morning fire, with emergency crews establishing a crime scene and traffic diversions remaining in place.
Morningside House Fire Leaves Home Beyond Repair
Emergency services were called to the property shortly after 5:30 am following reports of a house fire.
When crews arrived, the one-storey home was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters continued working to fully extinguish the blaze at 6:45 am as emergency services and nearby residents watched from the street.
The house was damaged beyond repair.
Multiple paramedics attended the scene and remained on standby while crews worked through the response. No one was believed to be inside the property at the time of the fire.
Large sections of Monmouth Street were blocked off during the emergency response, although traffic was still moving well on surrounding side streets and main roads. Traffic diversions remained in place while investigations continued.
Neighbours Describe Smoke, Flames And Cracking Sounds
Neighbour Kevin Waterman, 56, who lives directly next door to the property, woke about 4:30 am after hearing the fire.
He described smoke around the area and the sound of the building crackling before emergency services arrived. He called emergency services, which arrived about 5:30 am.
Mr Waterman said the house was derelict and had a temporary fence around it to keep squatters out.
Another neighbour, Peter White, woke about 4:45 am after noticing a bright red glow from the street. Concerned the fire could spread to his property, he moved his vehicles away from the area.
Mr White said flames were visible at the front half of the house and were coming through the roof.
Monmouth Street Property Had Been Empty
The Monmouth Street property had been empty for a long time.
Mr White said the home was owned by a friend of his. He said the owner had recently fenced and boarded up the property to keep trespassers out, and that the power had been disconnected.
He questioned how the fire started, noting the condition of the home, the secured perimeter, the lack of electricity and the early hour.
A crime scene was established after the blaze. Investigations into the fire continued as emergency services managed the scene on Monmouth Street.
Published 12-June-2026
