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The man who died when his car was gutted by fire may have dropped a cigarette while sleeping, police say.
The man has yet to be formally identified but police believe he was a 40-year-old Fijian Indian man who fell asleep when he was smoking in his car at Kawakawa Bay, 55km southeast of Auckland on Sunday.
The man may have been sleeping on the reclined driver's seat and covered with a duvet when he dropped a cigarette and set the car on fire, said Detective Senior Sergeant Sue Schwalger from the Counties Manukau police.
The intense heat of the fire melted part of the car and burnt the man's body very badly.
He was found by a passer-by after the fire burned itself out. The heat blew out the windows and melted the metal wheel rims.
Ms Schwalger said police were having trouble tracking down relatives or dental records to formally identify the man.
She said he died in the fire and police did not believe it was suspicious.
"He was a transient between Tauranga and Auckland and trying to find some local family or family in New Zealand is proving difficult for us.
"We believe he is a male, 40 years old and of Fijian Indian descent."
She said the man had probably been living out of his car.
- NZPA
