Man dies after returning to burning house

A man who died in a fire in Tokoroa last night went back into the burning building after warning neighbours, police said today.

Sergeant Daniel Peat of Tokoroa police said the police had a "fair idea" of who the man was.

Police said the man had warned neighbours about the fire before going back inside the flat to retrieve some belongings.

A cordon has been set up around the two-storey block, which was burnt out about 8pm.

Tokoroa Chief Fire Officer Ian Wellings said neighbours told firefighters there was a man inside the flat when they arrived at the scene.

"Obviously that escalates things, and we then have to be very careful in how we deal with the situation," he said.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control quickly.

Taupo Fire Safety Officer Stuart Cradock said it was too early to say what started the fire.

Mr Peat said the flat was so badly damaged that it was impossible to tell where the fire had started.

- NZPA