Fire investigators will return to the scene of a fatal house fire in Christchurch today.
A man and four children were asleep at the Burwood property on Vivian Street when the fire started just before 11pm on Tuesday night, killing and eight-year-old boy and a nine-month-old baby.
Working smoke alarms contributed to the father and two other children surviving.
As of 6am today, a Givealittle page set up for the family has so far raised more than $81,000.
Security footage shows the fire, which started in a back room, fully engulf the whole house in just three minutes. Neighbours are seen grabbing a hose and trying desperately to help the family.
A man and four kids were sleeping when the blaze engulfed their Burwood property, leaving an eight-year-old boy and a nine-month-old baby dead.
Neighbour Theresa Fitzsimmons told 1 NEWS yesterday, "the partner was just saying 'my baby's in there, help me, help me'."
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but it's believed the deadly blaze started in the baby's room.
The eight-year-old was found by firefighters in the hallway but later died later.
There were working smoke alarms in the home, but Fire and Emergency New Zealand has reminded Kiwis to make sure they have working smoke alarms in hallways and bedrooms too, as well as for families to practice their emergency escape plans.
Eddie Rodden says the community has been left traumatised by the Burwood house fire.
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