Investigators arrived at the charred property on Camrose Pl, Ilam, on Thursday morning.
Three fire trucks, mobile fire units and red tents were dotted around the property as crews set up.
Staff wore protective gear as they walked through the property’s remains.
Blue tarp has been stretched across the blackened section of the house where flames reached in the second ignition.
There are at least 10 fire staff on the ground today.
Fire staff confirmed to the Herald they would likely be at the scene of the property for the rest of the day.
The circumstances of how the blaze started are the centre of the incident, which police have deemed not suspicious.
The victim was revealed to be 88-year-old woman Thelma Durant, her family confirmed to Stuff yesterday evening.
The woman had a son, but neighbours said she largely kept to herself.
Fire and Emergency NZ crews arrived when the initial blaze sparked shortly after 3.30am, crews engaged in active firefighting to extinguish the blaze.
Fire crews had left the scene by 7am. However, the blaze reignited inside the home half an hour later, with white smoke billowing out of the property and filling the street.
Several neighbours across from the property stood outside their homes, some wearing dressing gowns, to witness a repeat of the early morning’s action.
Detective Wells said anyone who might have relevant information to help inquiries are urged to call police on 105 and quote the file number 230222/9020.
The incident prompted a heavy police turnout. Officers were seen making statements as smoke poured out of a number of open windows.
-By Nathan Morton
