Cause of Urewera hut fire unclear - police

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BURNED OUT HUT: Police are investigating the deaths of two men whose bodies were found in a burned out hut in the Ureweras.

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DEATH INVESTIGATED: Police say a post mortem will be carried out on the two bodies recovered from a burned out hut in the Ureweras.

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HUT DEATHS: Toshiya Babe, the deceased fishing guide found dead in a burnt out DOC hut with a client, in a photo from his web site.

JOHN SELKIRK/Dominion Post

REMINDERS: Ippie Matsumoto, flatmate of deceased fishing guide Toshiya Babe with Mr Babe's motorcycle that had been left with two fishing rods leaning against it in the carport of their Meadowbank, Auckland home.

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Police are playing down reports that two Japanese men died in a hut in Te Urewera National Park on Boxing Day as the result of an LPG bottle exploding.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson of Rotorua CIB told Radio New Zealand scene examinations had been carried out yesterday and investigators would be "putting our heads together today to come up with some conclusions".

"The notion of an explosion has been floated but I don't think there has been an explosion. I think what's simply happened is it's an old wooden structure and it has been completely obliterated, everything that is made of wood has burnt because it's been so dry and the hut has collapsed."

He said gas bottles were found around the hut, "but as to whether that's caused it or it has been a candle, it could be either to be honest."

Post-mortems on the two Japanese men have finished but results will not be available until next week.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson told NZPA findings from the post-mortems would not be available today, but he expected preliminary findings on Monday.

The men are thought to be Japanese fishing guide Toshiya Babe, 45, and a wealthy Japanese client.

Police expect it will be weeks before a formal identification is made.

"They were extensively damaged in the fire which was very intense and the reality is we probably going to be waiting for the DNA to confirm the identity," Mr Wilson said.

The pair were flown in to the hut on Christmas Eve and were discovered two days later when a Lakeland Helicopters pilot returned to pick them up and found the hut completely destroyed.

The deaths have raised the issue of provision of smoke alarms in Department of Conservation huts.

DoC spokesman Peter Williamson told Radio New Zealand the hut met fire safety requirements but did not have a smoke alarm.

He said the hut was too small for a battery powered alarm to operate and did not have an electricity supply.

Fishing guide Craig Farrar told The Herald people staying in the huts had to be very careful with open flames.

"It's a terrible way to go, but those huts can go up so easily. They are just wood and corrugated iron. It only takes one spark to set off a fire.

"They generally have only one door. If you were asleep and it started filling with smoke, you'd be knocked out pretty quickly."

Mr Babe had been living in New Zealand for 10 years, based in Meadowbank, Auckland.

He had owned a pet shop in Kobe which was destroyed during an earthquake in 1996 that killed more than 5000 people.

New Zealand Japan Society of Auckland President Kumiko Duxfield told The Herald Mr Babe's wife had joined him in New Zealand briefly before heading back to Japan.

"He didn't have any children. His wife didn't enjoy the lifestyle in New Zealand and they were separated.

"He had this affection for trout fishing and he was promoting and taking Japanese tourists to beautiful places," Mrs Duxfield said.

Mr Babe had been flying with Lakeland Helicopters regularly since setting up his company about five years ago.

Mr Babe's website describes how his fishing trips offered an escape from the city and a chance to relax and enjoy nature.

A post mortem is expected to be carried out today.

"I am (in) shock," said Ippei Matsumoto, Babe's flatmate, who learned of his friend's death when police called at their house yesterday morning looking for contact details for Babe's parents.

"I can't accept he is dead. I think he is going to walk through the door tomorrow," Matsumoto said.

In a carport under Babe's house, two fishing rods stood propped up against his motorbike.

A friend, Ishii Hisaya, said Babe was a really quiet man, "but funny sometimes ... especially when we were drinking and talking to each other."

It was Babe's love of trout fishing that brought him to New Zealand, and his guiding kept him busy during the summer months.

Most of his clients were from Japan, Hisaya said.

Another friend, Yuki Mundi, said Babe would help anyone in need, offering a home to fellow countrymen in need of a place to stay and volunteering to help out at Mundi's restaurant when he was short-staffed.

Mundi said Babe was also teaching him how to use his computer and was planning to help him connect to the internet on his return from the Ureweras.

"He's a very good guy, he's looking after us all the time," Mundi said.

"Why does he have to die?"

- NZPA with MIKE WATSON and KIM RUSCOE