Police in Wānaka are making inquiries after suspicious fire destroyed a cell phone tower overnight.
Police were advised of the fire in Upton St just before midnight.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said a fire investigator was looking into the incident, which they were treating as suspicious.
The telecommunications company One NZ has condemned the arson attack.
One NZ says the cell site has been destroyed and it will be at least a month before it’s rebuilt.
The company says other sites are helping to provide coverage and people will still be able to make emergency calls.
It comes after a cell tower and two data boxes were damaged by suspicious fires in Albert Town, near Wānaka, last month.
Police said they were called out to reports of fires in Alison Ave on September 20.
They said there was significant damage to the telco infrastructure and nearby dwellings and cars were at serious risk.
Detective Phill Hamlin, of Otago Lakes Criminal Investigations, said police believed the Albert Town fires were “suspicious and intentionally” lit.
– RNZ/additional reporting Allied Media