A 36-year-old man and his 11-year-old child are believed to be the victims of a house fire in Auckland's Bucklands Beach.
Police revealed on Wednesday the fire in which the pair died on October 2, was intentionally lit and they are now treating it as a double homicide.
Two other people were were hospitalised but have since been discharged after the blaze at a Murvale Drive property in Bucklands Beach last week.
A fifth person, a boarder at the residence, did not suffer any injuries.
Police have confirmed the presence of an accelerant at the scene. .
Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua talking to media about the fire on Wednesday. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
In a media briefing on Wednesday, Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said the blaze was well established by the time emergency services arrived at about 2.30am on 2 October.
Police had now confirmed the fire was deliberately lit, he said.
"Three people were able to escape, but sadly two people were not, and were found deceased inside the home.
"I can say the mother of the children and the wife exited the property through the doorway ... The border was based downstairs, but I can say that the third survivor, the boy, to force his way out of the house."
He said forensic analysis of the accelerant found at the scene was yet to be completed.
"The scene examination of the home was completed on Sunday. However, due to ongoing forensic analysis and potential for revisits to the address, the scene remains under police guard.
"I can confirm the post-mortem examinations have been completed. Further detailed analysis from those post-mortems continues. One victim can be confirmed as the 36-year-old father of two."
"We have not as yet been able to formally identify the second victim. However, we believe that he is the family's 11-year-old son. The two other victims who were hospitalised have now been discharged."
The detective said police were hoping to formally release the names of the two deceased later.
The detective inspector said that currently they had no persons of interest.
"We're casting the net far and wide to collect any evidence of CCTV that might assist us in that space, in that regard."
It was safe to assume the fire was intentionally lit by someone who entered the home while the family were asleep, he said.
The property remains under police guard and officers are keen to speak to anyone with information that may help with their investigation, he said.
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