Auckland arsonist still at large

5.00pm

Police believe an arsonist responsible for a spate of fires in Auckland City is still at large after ruling out a woman suspect who died in Aotea Square early yesterday.

The woman was burning fiercely when two police officers found her and tried to put her out with fire extinguishers. She was taken to hospital with burns to 100 per cent of her body, but died soon after.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jon Moss, who is leading the inquiry into her death and the series of 14 fires, said the woman was in south Auckland at the time the first fire in a car was attended by the Fire Service at 9pm.

The police recovered the woman's car and found shopping receipts showing she made purchases at a petrol station and supermarket in Mangere and Manukau at 8.55pm and 9.11pm.

"It would be stretching it to hold her responsible for any of the three early fires out of the 14 and we now believe it's doubtful she was responsible for any of the fires discovered after she died.

"This, of course, strongly suggests whoever lit the bulk of the fires is at large and we're appealing to anyone who has any information about who might be responsible to contact the Operation Fire investigation team at Auckland Central," said Mr Moss.

He said the woman's car had been recovered in Cook St yesterday afternoon. The keys to it had been handed in to the Auckland Central Police Station watch house on Tuesday night.

Police were not seeking anyone in connection with her death.

"I believe the circumstances around this woman's death were a tragic and uncanny coincidence with the series of arsons we're investigating."

The fires included a blaze that gutted a floor in the disused Guardian Trust building in Queen St, one behind Old Government House and a number in rubbish in disused areas.

The first fire was in a car on Mayoral Drive at 9pm. The blazes that followed tied up 35 fire appliances from across the city, although many did not fully ignite.

Yesterday Auckland city chief fire officer Brian Edwards warned building owners and occupiers to review their security urgently and make sure areas where rubbish was collected was not accessible.

"Most of these fires have been started in areas where rubbish is stored or where building materials are left on site. So, what I would say is building owners need to be particularly vigilant.

"They need to be making some security arrangements," Mr Edwards said.

Police were now sure the woman who died was aged 53 and from the Auckland suburb of Mangere.

However, efforts to officially confirm her identity were delayed by circumstances beyond the control of the inquiry team, he said.

Police had spoken to the woman's brother and hoped to complete a formal identification of her charred body today.

She was likely to be identified through DNA or dental records. She was not married and had no children.

The woman had a history that was not criminal or related to arson or pyromania, Mr Moss said.

The woman "perhaps" had a psychiatric history.

Several of the fires were discovered after the woman died.

Anyone with information should contact Auckland Central Station on 302 6400 and ask to speak to the Operation Fire team.

- Herald staff and NZPA