Woman burning in city square dies in spite of police efforts

9.15am

A woman found burning in an Auckland city square early today died in spite of efforts by police to put the flames out.

The unidentified woman may have set fire to herself and was engulfed in flames when a police patrol found her at 1.25am in Aotea Square off Queen Street.

Police said they could not discount a link between the incident and a string of arsons which kept Auckland City firefighters busy overnight.

However, police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the fires continued to be lit after the woman died and if she was involved in some of the earlier fires, it would mean more than one arsonist was involved in at least 12, possibly 16, fires in the city overnight.

"The fires didn't stop when the woman died. We can't rule out a link between the earlier fires and the woman."

She said police had been told the woman set fire to herself but could not confirm it was suicide or an accident.

The woman was aged between 30 and 60 and her severely burned body was expected to undergo a post mortem examination today.

Ms Hegarty said police had no idea of the woman's true age, identity or ethnic background.

"Some police officers came upon her burning and tried to douse the flames," Ms Hegarty said.

- NZPA