Early morning blaze claims life in Manawatu

A person is dead after an early morning house fire in Manawatu.

A Fire Service spokeswoman said firefighters were called to a property in Wyndham St in Ashhurst at 4am after reports of smoke in the area.

One person was inside the house when the fire broke out and did not make it out to safety.

"It does appear there has been a fatality," said a fire service spokeswoman.

At its height four fire crews from Ashhurst and Palmerston North attended the fire.

A police spokeswoman said emergency services were called to the blaze and found the only person residing at the property had died.

Police and fire investigators would now look at the circumstances around the cause of the fire and the death.

Meanwhile, investigations will continue into the cause of a suspicious fire in Whanganui last night which destroyed two homes.

- NZ Herald