Man charged with murder after woman's body found in Manurewa house fire

Police have arrested a 50-year-old man and charged him with murder after a woman's body was discovered in a house fire in Manurewa, Auckland last month.

Counties Manukau CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Veronica McPherson said police had been investigating the discovery of a body in a house in Manurewa and had charged one person with murder.

"Police recovered the body of a woman from inside the scene of a fire at a residential property on Nina Place on Sunday, September 18 and a homicide investigation was subsequently launched.

"A 50-year-old man is due to appear in the Manukau District Court this morning charged with murder.

"An interim non-publication order by the Coroner remains in place, which suppresses identification, including the name, of the victim."

The victim's family continue to be supported by Victim Support and the investigation team as they deal with their loss, McPherson said.

"As the matter is now before the court, Police are unable to provide further comment."

Neighbours of the Nina Place house said flames lit up the night sky when the home caught alight.

"My son thought it was a volcano so we went to have a look and made sure it wasn't one of our friends or the place of someone we knew."

It was very alarming, the neighbour said.

A witness, who saw the aftermath of the blaze, earlier described the house as being torched black with only the bare structure left behind.

Fire crews and emergency staff were called to the fire at 12.10am.