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A burning candle is believed to have been the cause of a house fire in north Waikato in which a man died and his 12-year-old daughter was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
Te Kauwhata firefighters were called to the blaze in Meremere Village about 3am yesterday.
Chief Fire Officer Kevin Hickey said four people were in the house. Two infants were taken from the house by their mother and firefighters located the 12-year-old, who was overcome by smoke, and took her out.
Mr Hickey said the roof collapsed and the smoke was thick throughout the house.
"We believe there had been a power outage for a period and that there may have been a candle involved."
Police have not yet named the 38-year-old.
Shonny Edmonds, who saw flames from her home across the road, said the small community was stunned by the tragedy. Power had gone off at 2.30 on Saturday afternoon and people had used barbecues for heating food.
Police and fire safety investigators were at the house yesterday and said there was nothing to indicate a suspicious fire.
