Four Dead, Including Three Children, In Devastating Sanson House Fire

A tragic house fire in Sanson has claimed the lives of three young children and their father, leaving the tight-knit community in shock and mourning.

Police confirmed “several fatalities” after the Manawatū property went up in flames around 2.30 pm on Saturday. While formal identification is still underway, Manawatū mayor Michael Ford later confirmed that four people, a father and his three children, had died. Investigators are examining the possibility that the fire was deliberately lit. However, police say they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident, according to Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff.

Neighbours reported seeing thick smoke pouring from the home as emergency services rushed to the scene. One passerby told Stuff he saw two armed police officers running towards the burning house as fire crews battled the blaze.

Inspector Ross Grantham said on Sunday that the scene examination was “meticulous” but hazardous due to the instability of the structure and heavy dust in the air. A scene guard remained overnight, with officers expected to return on Monday.

“This won’t be a fast-moving operation,” Grantham said. “It will be methodical and take time to work through what is a complex and hazardous scene. We want to ensure our people are safe while they carry out their work,” as reported by Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff.

He added that police were providing extensive support to both the grieving family and nearby residents. “Events like this hit at the hearts of our communities,” Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff reported.

Neighbours described the deceased father as a helpful, outdoors-loving man who often took his children fishing and enjoyed working on vehicles. Alan Parker, who lived close by, said the tragedy was unimaginable.

“I don’t think it gets much worse. It’s really, really bad for the people left behind,” Parker said, recalling how he initially feared the fire was at his own home before realising the flames were coming from next door. “There’s a hole that’s not going to be filled very easily,” reported Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff.

Another neighbour said police had searched her property while looking for the children, describing the family as “kind” and “lovely people”. Returning to her home hours later, she could see nothing left of the burnt house. “It is really bad,” she said, reported Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff.

Sanson School principal Grayson Marsh said the school community was “profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of life,” extending thoughts and support to the affected whānau.

Mayor Ford echoed the community’s grief, calling the incident “absolutely devastating”. He said he believed the people of Sanson, a small but resilient township, would rally around the bereaved family in the difficult days ahead, reported Rachel Moore and Amy Ridout of Stuff.

The investigation into the circumstances of the fire continues. Police say the priority remains uncovering what led to the tragedy while supporting those impacted by the loss.