Police name woman who died in Christchurch house blaze

File photo / NZ Herald

Christchurch police have released the name of the elderly woman who died in a house fire in Clent Lane, Spreydon, on last Thursday.

Joan Lenora McKenzie, 81, was the only person in the house, which Fire Service spokeswoman Rewai Grace said was ``well alight,'' when the Fire Service attended the blaze.

Detective Sergeant Mark Keane says provisional findings from the post-mortem examination indicated that the cause of death was smoke inhalation.

Police said the fire did not appear to be suspicious.

Fire Service and police investigations into the cause of the fire were continuing.