A witness to a fatal car fire near a beach in Auckland says there was an overpowering smell of fuel in the area moments before an explosion.
Police have confirmed a body has been found next to a burnt out car in Muriwai on Tuesday morning with emergency services at the scene of the fire at Jack Butt Lane.
A body has been found next to a burnt out car in Muriwai. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
Police said the fire had been extinguished and a person's body was found next to the vehicle.
Police said they were making enquiries on behalf of the Coroner.
The burnt out car. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
The witness, who did not want to be named, said she was walking her dogs at about 8am and noticed a man near the car.
"I was just by the surf club, throwing the ball for the dogs and there was this man waiting by his car," she said.
"My dogs ran out to him to say hello and he seemed annoyed that they were there ... I thought he might have had a shy dog in his car."
She said the man did not respond or acknowledge her when she apologised for her dogs approaching him.
"And then I noticed a smell of gas in the air and I thought, where's that from?"
"It got stronger and stronger until I couldn't breathe and I thought the surf club might of had a gas leak and was about to explode so I thought I need to get out of here!
"I started running and got about 20 metres or so and there was a big boom and a fireball explosion behind me with the car on fire," she said.
The witness said she immediately called emergency services.
The area has been cordoned off and police are carrying out a scene examination.
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