Man, 77, found dead after family flee burning house

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Members of a family fled their burning Manurewa home yesterday but an elderly man couldn't get out and was later found dead in his bedroom.

Neighbours called 111 when they saw flames leaping from a front bedroom of a Lomas Pl house about 7am. Several family members escaped safely and waited on the driveway while firefighters went into the house to search for the man.

Manurewa fire station officer Roy Harris said one of the 111 callers had said someone was missing. "The bedroom at the front of the house was well involved in fire. A person was reported to have been in that room prior to the fire starting and was missing."

After the blaze was put out firefighters discovered the man's body in his room, he said.

The victim, aged 77, was believed to be the grandfather of the family who lived there. A neighbour said the dead man was a nice guy and she had often said hello to him. "They are all friendly, they're a nice family."

Police and fire safety investigators spent the day examining the house to try to find how the fire started.

The fire was contained to one room but there was smoke damage throughout the house.

Fire safety officer Ray Coleman said investigators would return to the property today to "tie up loose ends then it will be in the hands of the police and the coroner".

Police closed the road for part of yesterday while distraught family members gathered outside the damaged home.

A neighbour said everyone on the street was pulling together to support the family. "The whole community is supporting them, it's only a little street. You give your neighbour a helping hand where you can."staff reporter