Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Brent Menzies:
Police together with investigators from Fire and Emergency New Zealand have now completed a scene examination following a fatal fire at a residential address at Burnham Military Camp.
Enquiries are ongoing however Police do not believe at this stage the fire to be suspicious.
Although formal identification procedures are still ongoing, Police are able to confirm that the person who died in the fire was a 16-year-old female.
This is obviously a huge tragedy for the young woman’s family and we are working, along with Victim Support, to support them as best we can at this difficult time.
Further details regarding the name of the deceased will be released in the coming days following formal identification and next-of-kin notifications.
Three others from the address were taken to Christchurch Hospital following the fire. Two have since been released and one remains in a moderate but stable condition.
The death has been referred to the Coroner.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre