Coroner: Star rapper's mum nearly made it out of deadly Manawatu house fire

Rapper PNC's mum Kathryn Hansen died last August when unattended cooking sparked a fire in her Feilding home. Photo / via google maps

The elderly mum of Kiwi rapper PNC was just seconds from escaping a house fire that claimed her life and her pet dog last year.

In a coroner's report into last August's fatal blaze experts said they believed school counsellor Kathryn Hansen was overcome by deadly smoke fumes as she reached the back door of her burning Feilding home.

Even though it was unlikely Hansen was alive, an off-duty firefighter tried desperately to reach his neighbour, smashing down the back door as the roof at the rear of the Fitzroy St home started to collapse.

But the body of the 69-year-old was slumped hard against the door preventing it from opening and with flames raging fiercely attempts to get inside were abandoned.

Coroner Tim Scott said it was likely the fatal fire started when food cooking on the stove caught alight.

In a reconstruction of the fatal fire, investigators believed Hansen put her evening meal in the oven and on the stove and left it to cook while she watched television in another room.

When she realised there was a fire in the kitchen she had tried to put out the flames using her clothing.

Scott said when she realised it was spreading too quickly she and her pet dog tried to escape, however, it was too late. Hansen suffered from mobility issues and could not move quickly.

"Had this not been the situation I believe it is most likely that she and her pet dog would have escaped from the fire. Sadly that was not to be," Scott said.

Their bodies were found by firefighters close to the back door.

Scott said Hansen also had alcohol in her blood which may have compromised her already slow movement and contributed to her inability to escape.

Scott offered his condolences and sympathy to Hansen's family and thanked the police and fire service for their help.

Kiwi musician Sam Hansen, aka rapper PNC, paid tribute to his mother last year saying he owed his music career to her.

"I never would have done [what I did] if it wasn't for her ... She gave up her life for me and she was happy if I was happy."



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