Please attribute the following to Manawatu Area Commander Ross Grantham:
Police can confirm two people have died in a house fire at Foxton Beach today.
We have spoken to family members and are providing them with support at this tragic time.
Our thoughts are also with the tight-knit community of Foxton Beach. Police have an increased presence in the town today and officers will be engaging with members of the community and providing support following this traumatic incident.
Emergency services were called to the Queen Street house about 5am and were told two people at the house were unaccounted for.
This morning, Police recovered the bodies of the victims and formal identification will be carried out over the coming days.
A scene investigation is ongoing and cordons remain in place on Queen Street, from Andrews Street to Edinburgh Terrace.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre