Police are hoping to identify the body found at a suspicious property fire in the Christchurch suburb of Woolston.

The fire broke out early Wednesday morning on Rutherford Street, and was thought to have originated at the rear of the property, the same area as where the fire started.

It was confirmed yesterday police and fire investigators had found the body while searching the building.

It was found in a self contained flat, which was thought to have been vacant.

A post mortem on the body will take place today and fire investigators will continue to try to identify the exact cause of the fire.