Foxton shocked by fiery deaths

JONATHAN CAMERON/ Manawatu Standard

TRAUMATISED NEIGHBOUR: Hulke St resident Angela Priston is upset by the Foxton house fire in which her three-year-old neighbour was killed.

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Neighbours have described the young girl killed in a Foxton house fire as a "beautiful" child who would always lean over the fence to greet them.

Lesharn Kiri-Leigh Taitoko, 3, and her mother's visiting friend, Atarina Emma Robinson, 22, of Waiouru, died when the Hulke St house they were asleep in caught fire about 2.15am yesterday.

Firefighters pulled Lesharn and Ms Atarina from the burning house but were unable to revive them.

Lesharn's 24-year-old mother survived because she was pulled out of a window by neighbours.

There were sombre scenes on Hulke St yesterday as about 60 friends and family gathered to pay their respects.

Tears were shed, prayers were spoken and a rousing haka was performed as the bodies were placed in hearses and taken to Palmerston North Hospital.

Next-door neighbour Angela Priston woke early yesterday morning to find her dog going berserk.

"I went out and I saw people everywhere just screaming."

Mrs Priston only knew the family to say hello but said she always offered help if they needed it.

"She [Lesharn] was gorgeous, a beautiful little girl. Always dressed beautifully."

Mrs Priston felt shocked and traumatised after seeing the bodies being taken from the house.

"I spewed that's how traumatised I was. People don't ask to be hurt, especially little kids.

"I can still see that little girl's face, just leaning over my fence."

A neighbour tried to kick down the front door but was unable to get in because of the flames, she said.

Neighbour Sherry Miller said the family were good neighbours who kept their section tidy.

"They kept very much to themselves but they were quiet and they were nice. She was a friendly little girl.

"The ferocity of [the fire] was just astounding."

Another Hulke St resident said the deaths had come as a shock to his family because his young son used to play with Lesharn.

"I heard them yelling and screaming but it was too late by then ... I'm just majorly bummed out that we couldn't do anything more to help."

Manawatu assistant area fire commander Rodger Calder said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

"There are a number of causes that we are investigating but at this stage we haven't decided which one caused the fire."

The neighbours who saved Lesharn's mother were alerted by a kitchen smoke alarm, he said.

"Everybody heard the smoke alarm but unfortunately two of them didn't make it."

Three smoke alarms were in the house but only one was working, Mr Calder said.

The attending firefighters, who came from Foxton, Foxton Beach, Himatangi, Shannon and Palmerston North, were offered counselling after the fatal blaze.

Detective Senior Sergeant Marc Hercock said police would continue to work closely with firefighters until the scene examination and the post mortem examinations were complete.