Fatal Tolaga Bay house fire caused by pot left on gas stove

80-year-old John William Charles Ormiston and his wife, 78-year-old Beverly Ann Ormiston died in a house fire in Tolaga Bay, Gisborne. Photo / GSH

A house fire which took the lives of an elderly couple living in their son's home at Tolaga Bay on the East Coast north of Gisborne was caused by a pot left on a gas stove.

The fire in the Uawa Parade house started in the kitchen at around 3am on Friday morning.

Police this morning released the names of the two victims of the tragedy.

They were 80-year-old John William Charles Ormiston and his wife, 78-year-old Beverly Ann Ormiston, of Blenheim.

The couple had been living in the house for about three months, housesitting for their son who lives in Australia.

"The fire started in the kitchen at the rear and spread from there to involve the entire house, including obviously the bedroom where the bodies of the couple were found," said specialist fire investigator Derek Goodwin.

The couple were found in their beds.

"The oven in the kitchen had a gas cook top and one of the elements of the cook top had been left on, with a pot on it."

Mr Goodwin said the alarm was raised by a passerby who saw a lot of smoke around the house.

"The call came in at 3.15am and the Tolaga Bay volunteer fire brigade were on the scene nine minutes later, which is a very fast response time.

"They did everything they could have done under the circumstances, because the house was well ablaze when they arrived," he said.

"We have had reports that the house had a smoke alarm in it but it is not clear if the alarm was working."

Post-mortem examinations will be held in Palmerston North today.

"Those examinations will determine the cause of death for both victims," says Detective Nick Wilkie.

"At this stage there are no suspicious circumstances and the matter will now be handed over to the coroner.

"Police and the fire service would like to extend condolences to the couple's family at this very trying time for them."

The family gathered in Tolaga Bay at the weekend.

- Gisborne Herald