Police have this evening confirmed the deaths of three children and their father following a Manawatū house fire this weekend is being treated as a homicide.

The blaze broke out at a home in Sanson around 2.30pm on Saturday, prompting a significant emergency services response.

The three children were identified on a Givealittle page as August, Hugo, and Goldie.

Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham on Monday afternoon confirmed the children were aged 7, 5 and 1 but they still could not be formally identified.

Grantham today said the post mortem examination of the children’s father had been completed. The three children are expected to undergo post mortem examinations tomorrow.

He reiterated that police were not seeking anyone else in relation to their investigation.

“A forensic examination of the scene is ongoing, and it will take some time to get the results once that examination has been completed,” he said.

“A team of police staff are working hard to get answers for the family, but I want to stress to the public that we will not have these answers immediately.”

Grantham said police would formally release the identities of the deceased and images approved by the family in due course.

Anyone with information has been advised to contact police on 105 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.

‘Outpouring of love’
Friends and family paid tribute to the grieving mother in a Givealittle page set up on Sunday evening.

“Our dear friend has suffered the sudden, unbearable loss of her three beloved children, her angels … They were the light and love of her life, and her entire world has been shattered,” they wrote.

The Givealittle had raised $300,000 in donations just after 6pm on Tuesday evening.

In an update on Monday afternoon, the organisers of the fundraiser thanked “what feels like the whole of Aotearoa” for the outpouring of “immediate generous financial support”.

“No amount of money will ever be enough to heal the wounds left in her heart and soul, but to have this safety net to rebuild her life, knowing what feels like the whole of Aotearoa is with her, and how you have all contributed to this outpouring of love in so many ways is more than we could’ve ever hoped for.”