Family of man found in exploded car shattered by his death

Christchurch man Kurt Sturgess (pictured) is believed to be the man inside the station wagon that exploded in Jardine Park in Queenstown about 9pm yesterday. Photo / Facebook

The family of the man whose body was found inside an exploded car are shattered by his death.

The man inside the wagon that exploded in Jardine Park about 9pm yesterday is believed to be Christchurch man Kurt Sturgess.

Police said it was not yet known if he was dead before the explosion.

In the latest media release from police, made just before 3.30pm today, they said formal identification of the person in the car might take some time.

However, they said while it was early in the investigation, police were not seeking anyone else at this time and the public are not thought to be at risk.

Police remain at the scene, with ESR scientists making a thorough forensic examination, police said.

"While the investigation is ongoing police are not in a position to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the fire or the cause."

Earlier, Sturgess' father told the Herald "it was a sad business all around".

Sturgess left home in the morning and his family put out a missing person's message on Facebook through a friend later in the day after failing to get hold of him, he said.

"It was out of character and it just happened and it went from bad to worse."

The family heard about the explosion last night but were not aware it may have been connected to Sturgess until someone matched the photo of the burned-out car with the description on the Facebook message, he said.

Police had not yet been able to confirm it was his son and the family were still very much in the dark about what had happened.

His son had a wife and a child but there was no trouble at home.

Sturgess' mother told Fairfax the news was "a bolt out of the blue".

"His wife is pretty cut up of course and his little son is asking where 'Dada' is. His father and myself are pretty shattered."

An autopsy and scene examinations were expected to take place today to determine the causes of death and of the fire.

Police and a fire investigator would be investigating the cause of the explosion today.