An elderly couple have died after a fire engulfed their Foxton Beach home.
The couple’s family say they are deeply grateful for the support from the community after this morning’s blaze.
Neighbours helped one another evacuate their homes as the fierce fire tore through the couple’s target="_self" rel="" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/foxton-beach-house-blaze-under-investigation-as-two-people-still-missing/PPIUUYZBOFEYPNB5Y7SJKSSOAY/">Queen St property.
Witnesses described the early morning fire as erupting with explosions.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Pomana Marsh told Stuff the two people killed in the fire were his grandparents.
He said his grandparents’ names were Tomi and Fiona.
“My family and I are deeply grateful for the support and kindness shown by the local community today.
“We also want to acknowledge the authorities for their compassion, assistance, and professionalism during this incredibly tragic time for our family,” Marsh told Stuff.
Manawatū police area commander Ross Grantham said the bodies of two people were recovered this morning and will be identified over the following days.
“We have spoken to family members and are providing them with support at this tragic time.
“Our thoughts are also with the tight-knit community of Foxton Beach. Police have an increased presence in the town today and officers will be engaging with members of the community and providing support following this traumatic incident.”
A resident told the Herald the house was engulfed in flames by the time she and her husband were woken by another homeowner around 5am.
“By that stage, the house was well alight. We were across the street and it was too hot to stay there,” the woman said.
As the residents gathered on the street, her husband rushed to rouse a neighbouring woman who lived alone.
“She was afraid because she heard explosions. She thought it was gunshots, but it would have been explosions.”
She said an elderly man and a woman lived at the address.
‘It’s upset everybody’
A neighbour said she was awoken by multiple loud bangs about 4.45 am and looked out her window to see smoke coming from the Queen St house.
“It’s upset everybody today”, she said, adding it was a typically quiet neighbourhood where “everyone looks after each other”.
Assistant Commander Manawatū-Whanganui Barry Madgwick said 25 firefighters found a “well-involved property” when they arrived at the scene around 5.20 am.
Earlier today, a spokesperson for Fire and Emergency New Zealand said six fire engines from Foxton Beach, Foxton, Waitārere Beach, Himatangi Beach, Levin and Shannon went to the blaze.
Madgwick said: “Brigades did an extremely good job of containing that fire to the property involved.
“A property of this age, it’s not uncommon for a building to obviously react to such an intense fire like it did.
“We’ve got a number of police working alongside our specialist fire investigators to methodically go through the scene to get to a stage where they can effectively determine the cause and origin of the fire.”
Police have set up a tent outside the badly damaged house and had started investigating the cause of the fire which, at its height, saw the house “completely” engulfed.
Cordons remain in place around Queen St from Andrews St to Edinburgh Tce.
The Herald has approached the family for comment.