Dental records likely to ID fatal fire victim

Dental records are likely to be used to identify the body of a woman who died in a house fire in Papatoetoe last night.

The woman's body was found when firefighters arrived at the fiercely burning house in Birdwood Ave, Papatoetoe in south Auckland, about 8.30pm

Police said today she was badly burnt in the fire and could probably only be identified through dental records.

The cause of death was expected to be established at an autopsy today and fire safety officers had yet to establish how the fire began,.

Detective Senior Sergeant Gary Lendrum said it was possible no one else was involved in the fire which may have been deliberately lit.

He said they believed they knew the identity of the woman but her name would not be released until after she had been formally identified through her dental records.

- NZPA