Woman dead after house fire

A woman has been killed in a house fire this morning.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring from the front door.

It is not yet known if the blaze is suspicious and the fire service said it was not clear how the woman died.

Hutt's deputy chief fire officer Guy Brewer said ambulances arrived on the scene before 7am this morning but heavy smoke stopped them from entering the house.

Fire fighters arrived soon after but the house was already "well involved," he said.

The woman was found by firefighters but she could not be revived.

Police and ESR scientists are investigating the cause of the fire, said detective senior sergeant Ross Levy.

"It is too early in the investigation to comment on whether or not the fire is suspicious," he said.

- with NZPA