Police name house fire victims

Police have named the mother and daughter killed in a Christchurch house fire on Wednesday.

They are 38 year old Angela Ellan Dain and six year old Baelee Maree Dain.

The pair died in their home in Avalon St, Richmond, at about 12.45am on Wednesday. Police are treating the blaze as suspicious.

Detective Senior Sergeant Harvey said police were still investigating the cause of the fire.

Yesterday police were looking for a young man reported by neighbours who saw him near the property shortly before fire broke out.

Mr Harvey said the man would be interviewed today and was being treated as a witness.

Mr Harvey said the Dains lived with others at the house who were not home when the fire started.

The residents had been interviewed and ruled out of the inquiry, he told Radio New Zealand yesterday.

- NZHERALD STAFF