KEY POINTS:
Police have not yet ruled out arson after a fire at the house in Wainuiomata where an exorcism left a mother of two dead.
Janet Moses, 22, died on October 12, allegedly after she was held down while water was poured down her throat.
Police are treating her death as homicide.
Fire appliances were sent to the house in Wellington Rd about 5.45pm yesterday.
The fire, in the kitchen and bedroom areas of the unoccupied house, was quickly brought under control and caused only minor to moderate damage .
Police are investigating whether the fire was deliberately lit after neighbours reported hearing a window smash and then seeing a man running away.
"He jumped in his car and reversed really fast up the driveway," the neighbour told the Dominion Post.
"I ran out and looked in the house and it was all full of smoke."
Another neighbour used a hose on the fire while waiting for the Fire Service to arrive.
A relative of Ms Moses said her family did not know who started the fire but thought it could be someone who "might be pissed off" about what had happened at the house.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy, of Lower Hutt CIB, said the investigation into Ms Moses' death was at a critical stage.
- NZPA
