Father and daughter die in Hutt Valley fire

Lower Hutt police have confirmed an elderly man and his daughter died in a house fire in Taita early today.


The fire started about 5am and the alarm was raised by neighbours who heard smoke alarms ringing out from the house.


An elderly woman managed to flee the blaze through a window.


Her 50-year-old daughter failed to make it out of the house and her body was recovered by firefighters.


A 73-year-old man, husband of the survivor and father of the dead woman, escaped the blaze.


He succumbed to the effects of smoke inhalation while being treated at Hutt Hospital.


Detective Sergeant Grant Atkin was reported as saying that the surviving woman was being treated for smoke inhalation at Hutt Hospital.


- NZPA