Police inside the cordon.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0MARIKA KHABAZI \/ RNZ<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n “Our priority is on carefully extracting the two deceased from the scene, and from there a post-mortem examination will need to be carried out.”<\/p>\n “We are unable to release further information about those who have died as the formal identification process has not yet begun.”<\/p>\n An investigation would work to figure out how the fire began.<\/p>\n “We appreciate the community will have questions about how this has occurred, and this will now be the focus for investigators.<\/p>\n “Police will be speaking with nearby residents as part of inquiries, but we ask anyone with information to contact us.”<\/p>\n Three people were also injured with two taken to hospital.<\/p>\n Hato Hone St John said one person in a serious condition and another in a moderate condition were taken to Middlemore Hospital.<\/p>\n People speak to police inside the cordon on Murvale Drive.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0MARIKA KHABAZI \/ RNZ<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n A third person was treated at the scene for minor injuries.<\/p>\n Va’aelua confirmed there had been five people inside the house when the fire began.<\/p>\n Police officers wearing protective coveralls and breathing masks have been examining the house on Murvale Drive for many hours.<\/p>\n A blue car parked outside the two-storey house was towed away on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n Neighbour Cathy Harwood said she was woken by her dog barking about 2am and heard “strange” noises coming from outside.<\/p>\n She described the fire as “massive” and saw lots of smoke.<\/p>\n “It’s a very sad thing that’s happened,” Harwood said with obvious emotion.<\/p>\n The cordon set up on Murvale Drive, Bucklands Beach.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0MARIKA KHABAZI \/ RNZ<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Other residents described feeling an eerie chill as they watched emergency services come and go.<\/p>\n An RNZ reporter at the scene said the smell of smoke on the street was still strong.<\/p>\n Police will remain on scene with cordons established on Murvale Drive, between Janome Place and Jandell Cresent.<\/p>\n Fire and Emergency said five crews were called to a fire on the upper floor of a two-storey house just after 2.30am.<\/p>\n “Hato Hone St John was notified of a fire incident on Murvale Drive, Bucklands Beach, at 02:36 today. Two ambulances and one operations manager attended,” St John said.<\/p>\n\n
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