Unexplained death near Kerikeri

Police and Fire and Emergency vehicles at the end of Wharau Rd near Kerikeri yesterday morning. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The discovery of a body in a burning car near Kerikeri was being treated by police as unexplained at edition time yesterday afternoon.

The Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called to the end of Wharau Rd, about 10km east of the town, just after 7pm on Tuesday, after residents reported a car on fire. As firefighters doused the blaze they discovered what appeared to be a body inside the vehicle, sparking a police investigation.

Late on Tuesday the far end of Wharau Rd, which overlooks the entrance to the Kerikeri Inlet and provides access to Wharau Bay, was still cordoned off as police continued to examine the scene.

A Fire and Emergency NZ investigator was also examining the car for clues as to how the fire started.

Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Fouhy said it was too early to know whether the death was suspicious. At that stage it was being treated as unexplained.

Police believed they knew who the person was, but could not say more until the body was formally identified, a process that could take some time.

Fouhy said the vehicle was engulfed in flames, which had begun spreading into nearby vegetation, when firefighters arrived about 15 minutes after the alarm was raised.

Chief Fire Officer Les Wasson said the blaze had spread into about 100 square metres of vegetation by the time fire crews arrived.

''It had the potential go up the hill towards houses. It was lucky we'd had a bit of rain,'' he added.

Meanwhile Fouhy was unable to say how long the scene examination would take.

''It depends what we find inside and around the vehicle,'' he said.

A post-mortem would be conducted to establish the cause of death.

Wharau Bay is one of the closest beaches to Kerikeri's town centre, making it a popular spot for families and fishers. Access to the beach is closed while the investigation is underway.

A gravel parking area at the road end is believed to be covered by high-quality CCTV from a private home.