A woman was injured and her 87-year-old husband has died after becoming trapped in a house fire in North Canterbury on Wednesday morning.
The fire service was called to the property which was engulfed in flames on Gore Bay Rd near Cheviot at 7:40am.
Five fire crews brought the blaze under control, but not before it destroyed the elderly couple's house.
Sgt Crossan says the woman, also in her 80s, told fire fighters her husband was still inside the house while it was on fire. Crews had to dampen down hotspots before searching the house for the man.
The woman was taken to Cheviot Medical Centre and is under observation after suffering smoke inhalation.
Police and two fire investigators are trying to determine the cause, which is not believed to be suspicious.
Newshub.
