Kaileshan Thanabalasingham, 47, remains in a medically-induced coma at Middlemore Hospital.
Kaileshan Thanabalasingham, 47, remains in a medically-induced coma at Middlemore Hospital.
The Auckland man who lost his wife, son and mother-in-law in a house fire three days before Christmas remains in a medically-induced coma at Middlemore Hospital.
Kaileshan Thanabalasingham, 47, suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body in the pre-dawn fire on December 22 at a house on PlantationAvenue in Flat Bush.
Despite having opened his eyes a few times, lawyer and close friend Deborah Manning said Thanabalasingham remained "heavily sedated".
While she didn't want to divulge further details of his condition, she believed the prominent refugee advocate was in a "critical, but stable" condition in the intensive care unit.
Thanabalasingham's father-in-law and daughter, 11, were the only other members of their family to escape the fire alive, while his son, 5, wife, 39, and his 66-year-old mother-in-law all perished.
The young girl reportedly escaped to tell firefighters people were still inside the two-storey house, which was well ablaze, with windows exploding and smoke billowing.
Fire crews worked on putting it out and enabling a rescue crew to get inside, but were unable to save everyone.
Manning said the funerals of the three who died were still being arranged but it was likely these would take place next week.
"Incredible thanks, from the family for the support; it means a tremendous amount for them in what's a very difficult time ... it'll be a very long road to recovery."
