Firebug runs amok in City

Auckland City Police will today be examining a number of fire scenes along with the NZ Fire Service and ESR in an effort to discover who’s responsible for up to 14 fires in the City’s CBD overnight.

Police have yet to establish whether an unidentified woman who burnt to death in Aotea Square at about 1.25am was connected in any way to the other fires that occurred between about 9pm and 4am.

Police officers and a member of the public discovered the burning woman and tried to dowse the flames but she died at the scene.

Police believe the woman set herself on fire but don’t know whether that was accidental or not. Her body has been removed from the scene and it’s expected a post-mortem will be carried out today. It’s believed she was middle-aged.

Included in the list of fire scenes was a sofa on a balcony at one of the Auckland University of Technology buildings; Old Government House in Symonds St; a City Council building in Princes St near Albert Park; the Guardian Trust Building in Queen St.

Other fires occurred in alleys, post boxes and on streets in the CBD.

Some fires were extinguished by Police officers who discovered them during patrols of the city.

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