Woman charged after fire deaths

A woman has been charged with three counts of failing to provide the necessaries of life, following a fatal fire that claimed three lives at Patutahi, near Gisborne, before Christmas.

The 24-year-old woman is on bail and will appear in the Papakura District Court tomorrow.

Harry Grant, 33, and his children, Kihini, 6, and Watene, 3, died in the fire about midnight on December 19.

Another child, Eru, aged 4, was flown to Middlemore Hospital with serious burns. He is now stable.