Northland police are calling on the public to help identify a balaclava-clad person seen in the early hours of the morning at a Whangārei property later destroyed in a suspicious fire.

Five flatmates had been asleep inside the home on Raumanga Valley Rd when a couch on the front porch was reportedly set alight about 6.20am on September 24.

The sound of glass smashing woke one of the flatmates, whose bedroom was near where the fire had started. He raced to alert the others before running outside to find a hose.

The man was unsure whether someone had intended to burn the house down, but said setting the fire had clearly been malicious.

Whangārei Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer said the occupants had safely escaped, but the situation could have been very different.

Shortly after the fire, police found bullet holes from a slug gun in a window of the home that had not been there at the time of the blaze. They were not sure if the two events were connected.

Officers are continuing to investigate the suspected arson and have appealed to the public for help identifying a person of interest.

Pilmer said the person was seen on Raumanga Valley Rd between 4am and 6am the day before the blaze.

“If you saw this person, or anything else suspicious around that time, we want to hear from you,” Pilmer said.

Police previously called for sightings of a white or silver vehicle seen about the time of the fire.

“We’re making good progress on the investigation, including reviewing a significant amount of CCTV footage,” Pilmer said.

Anyone with information can contact police online or call 105 using the reference number 250924/3224.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.