Man's body found in garage car fire

The man's body is removed from the scene of the car blaze in Glenfield. Photo / NZPA

The body of a man was discovered inside a car yesterday by firefighters called to battle a blaze inside a garage.

Neighbours say they heard a prolonged and loud engine noise and a long horn blast before the fire at the Auckland home.

The man, who is yet to be identified, was found after neighbours were alerted to the fire on Marcel Place, Glenfield, early yesterday morning.

Neighbour Aaron Brown said he was woken by loud engine noises, lasting about five minutes. "Someone was revving the engine. It was like they had their foot flat down on the gas. It went on for ages until it started spluttering and died."

Shortly afterwards he heard a woman and a man having a loud discussion outside then the horn sounding. "It was pushed down and went for ages as well. I was half asleep and was thinking of calling noise control." Firefighters arrived soon after.

Police said the body was badly burned and would need to be identified using fingerprints or dental records.

Detective Sergeant James Watson said the death was being treated as suspicious. "There's a lot of questions to be answered yet," he said.

The car and remains were removed from the garage yesterday, and an autopsy would be carried out tomorrow.

Fire safety officer Roy Warren said it was not known how the fire started. He said most of the damage was in the garage, which joined two townhouses on the property, and the laundry of one house. No one else was home at the time of the fire.

Warren said the second townhouse was protected by a fire wall.

Neighbours in the quiet cul-de-sac said they were woken by fire trucks about 1.45am.

Ruixia Huang said her husband heard the fire and rushed to tackle the flames with their garden hose.