Name of Tirau house fire victim released

Forensic staff and emergency services outside Roma Joseph's Little St house last week after her house burned down in suspicious circumstances. Photo/Belinda Feek

The woman who died in a house fire in Tirau last week has been named as Roma Joseph, 58.

Joseph lived in the two bedroom Little St house by herself but often had family, including grandchildren, visit her neighbours earlier told the Herald.

Police are still investigating the cause of the blaze and are treating it as suspicious.

Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Cranshaw confirmed Joseph died in the fire. The results of her post mortem are still being analysed, he said.

Emergency services were called to the property by Joseph's neighbours who recalled seeing two men flee the scene just seconds before it went up in flames at 3am.

Roma Joseph's family talk with police at the Little St cordon last week. Photo/Belinda Feek

Loud, thumping noises were what prompted the women up before seeing one man flee on foot and the other take off in a silver car.

One woman, who lives near the victim, said she was woken by several loud thumping noises about 3am.

One of her neighbour's heard it, too, and popped over to her house and they watched as a man fled on foot down the street.

They then watched a man walk around the front of the house, down the side, around the back before he climbed into a silver car, which then took off.