Two people, believed to be father and son, dead after house fire in Auckland's Coatesville

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Police and Fire and Emergency NZ investigators are at the scene of a Coatesville house fire where two people have died.

A father and son are believed to be the victims of a fire that engulfed a sleep-out in Auckland early on Tuesday.

Fire engines from the East Coast Bays professional station and the Silverdale volunteer brigade rushed to the home, on Mahoenui Valley Rd in Coatesville, shortly before 6.30am.

“Two people have been located deceased inside the property,” police said.

The identities and ages of the dead have not been released, but it is understood they were a father and son.

Fire investigators are at the house and detectives from the Waitematā Criminal Investigation Branch have been notified, but there is no word yet on the cause of the blaze.

“Police are currently on scene and will be carrying out a scene examination along with Fire and Emergency NZ investigators, who will work to establish the cause of the fire,” police said.

A Stuff visual journalist on the scene said an ambulance left the property about 7.50am.

A woman being comforted by a man at the scene of a house fire in Coatesville.

A middle-aged woman left in a police car after being comforted by a man outside the house.

Others were seen crying and embracing on the property.

There are two dwellings on the property – the sleep-out and a main house.

A neighbour said he believes a young family lives in the house, which is large, gated, and surrounded by land.

It is some distance from any neighbours.

A neighbour said he heard a man and a woman screaming at the property before 7am.

Two fire trucks could be seen at the property.

Five police vehicles, both marked and unmarked, were also there.

Coatesville, about 30km north of Auckland’s CBD, is an affluent township with a number of lifestyle blocks.