Neighbour pays respect after two die in house fire

A neighbour to a fatal house fire in Auckland has described the “beautiful” family that lived there, as they wait for news on who survived and who didn’t.

Two people were killed yesterday in the house fire in South Auckland and another has been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Family members have entered the Hillpark home, singing waiata, as undertakers prepared to remove the bodies.

Neighbour Bill Vao, 83, said they were a “beautiful” family. “I feel so sad to know it happened to their family. I feel like crying. I don’t know who has passed away.”

The family was living here for at least 20 years. A passerby has told about the moment he spotted a house on fire and raced to wake up those inside.

Jonathon Asafo was taking his son to daycare when he drove past the house engulfed in flames and “raced back” to warn everybody inside, he told RNZ. “I quickly ... drove up the driveway and I started tooting my horn and then calling, running around for any response.”

Emergency services were called out to the “well involved” fire at a family home in Freshney Place, Hillpark, just before 7am. Speaking from the scene, Fire and Emergency New Zealand Assistant Commander Brendon Irwin said two people died in the blaze. An investigation was under way into the cause of the fire.