Second child dies after house fire

A second child has died after a house fire in Otara that claimed the life of his sister.

Jetal Lising, 10, died in Middlemore Hospital last night after being critically burned in the fire that ripped through their Otara home about 7am on Sunday.

His 8-year-old sister, who perished in the fire, was Chelsea-May Lising.

Jetal had burns to three-quarters of his body, which had left him with just a one in 10 chance of survival.

Their brother, Kelvin, 16, and sister Hossana, 18, remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition yesterday.

Their mother's partner survived the fire.

The children were part of a Filipino family who had migrated to New Zealand for a new life.

The family believe the fire started when hot oil left on the stove caught fire.

Yesterday the grieving family were waiting for the children's mother, Editha Lising, to arrive back from the Philippines. She was away on family business and was expected to arrive this afternoon.

The family described Chelsea-May as a quiet and studious child who aspired to be a model when she grew up.

Speaking before Jetal's death last night, Editha Lising's sister Joan Fulop said Chelsea-May or "Mae-Mae" was "the apple of her mother's eye".

"She was fussy," Ms Fulop said. "She would fix her hair and make sure it was beautiful ... She excelled at school, got awards and found it easy to make friends.

"The other kids said Chelsea was the one who could make her mother happy."

Ms Fulop said she was asked to tell the children's mother about the house fire. She thought it was too traumatic to hear the news by telephone so had told their other sister in the Philippines, who told Editha.

She was "really distraught and devastated" when she learned what had happened, Ms Fulop said.

Ms Fulop said Editha Lising had been a professor in the Philippines and had parted from her husband, a Filipino businessman.

Ms Lising and her four children had lived in the Otara rental property with her new partner since July, and she worked at Takanini Lodge Rest Home and Hospital.
Her two teenagers are understood to have left school. Chelsea-Mae and Jetal went to Papatoetoe East Primary School.

The deaths happened despite frantic attempts to save the children, who were sleeping inside when the fire started.

Brian Keogh, of Otahuhu, was driving by heading out for a day's fishing at Maraetai when he noticed smoke coming from the house and heard cries from the children inside.

He jammed on his brakes, ran up the drive and smashed the deadlocked windows with help from another man to try to save the children. However, the fire drove them back and they had to wait for firefighters before the children could be reached.