A father and two of his children who died in a Manawatū house fire have had their deaths referred to the coroner.
The recovery of a third child’s body is still underway at the site of the destroyed house in the town of Sanson, after the blaze broke out about 2.30pm on Saturday.
This morning, the three children who died in the blaze were identified through a Givealittle page set up by friends of the children’s mother.
The children have been named as Goldie, August and Hugo, aged 1, 5 and 7.
Last night, police confirmed the bodies of two of the children have been recovered with the body of an adult, who the Herald understands is their father and local businessman Dean Field.
The Givealittle page titled “A mother’s worst nightmare” has been set up for the mum of the three children, aiming to raise a financial “safety net” for her to grieve.
Floral tributes have been attached to the fence at the top of the home’s driveway.
The Givealittle page’s creator wrote that her friend was enduring a “devastating loss beyond measure”.
“Our dear friend has suffered the sudden, unbearable loss of her three beloved children, her angels.
“They were the light and love of her life, and her entire world has been shattered.
“In the midst of this unimaginable grief, she also lost her home and everything she owned. She is facing the hardest journey possible, stripped of her physical security while navigating the deepest emotional pain.”
This morning, Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham confirmed the ages of the children who died in the fire.
“It’s unimaginable,” he told RNZ’s Morning Report.
There were many details of the investigation he could not say, including whether they believed it was deliberately started or which part of the scene they were looking in for the body of the final victim.
Grantham said the initial focus of police operation today would be recovering the final body.
He said it was a large scene that posed many risks to crews, so it might take some time.
“So it will take us some time just to go through and establish exactly what’s happened.”
He said that at this stage, they were not seeking information from the public, but urged anyone who thought they might be able to help with the investigation.
He called the Givealittle page a “fantastic idea”.
“We as a community absolutely have to support the families as best we can.
“We as a police service have to do a compassionate and thorough investigation to try and solve this inquiry.”
Grantham said they would be putting support systems in place for the officers and first responders who had to deal with the “confronting scene”.
Yesterday, Grantham confirmed four people were killed in the fire.
“The bodies of two children have been recovered from the scene this evening, and family was present during this time to bless them with karakia.”
Grantham clarified that work is ongoing to find the body of a third child. A “meticulous and thorough” scene examination will be done today.
“The family of the deceased are devastated at the loss of their loved ones,” Grantham said.
“They are thankful and very grateful for the support and concern they are receiving from the community.”
Several locals who knew the family told the Herald they were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. One called it “catastrophic”, another “very upsetting”.
Police are not seeking anyone in relation to the fire.
“This tragedy has shocked not only the local community, but also many people across the country,” Grantham said.
“Our investigators remain determined to find answers to as many questions as we can.”
The Givealittle page for the mother of the children details it was created to provide her with a financial “safety net”.
“Our goal is to provide her with the space and security needed to grieve in solitude, without the added stress of financial ruin,” the creator said.
“We cannot mend her broken heart, but we can wrap her in community support. Please join us in offering this gift of peace and practical help during her darkest time.”
The goal for the Givealittle page was $100,000, and had passed $160,000 as of midday today.
Field, the children’s father, was described as a local businessman, and records indicate he had owned the property destroyed in the blaze for nearly 10 years.
Companies Office documents show he has run businesses since 2018.
Grantham said yesterday that police were waiting for the completion of the scene examination to piece together the circumstances that led to the blaze.
“This won’t be a fast-moving operation; it will be methodical and take time to work through what is a pretty complex and hazardous scene.”
Grantham said there were concerns about the stability of the remaining structure and they needed to make sure staff were safe while they worked.
“While the investigation is ongoing, police are also providing wraparound support to the family and neighbours,” Grantham said.
“I want to acknowledge the support we’ve had from the Sanson township and wider Manawatū community.
“Events like this hit at the hearts of our communities and we are doing everything we can to answer the many questions around this devastating incident.”
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