An elderly woman has been found dead after a small fire broke out in her retirement home on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
The Fire Service says it received a call just before midday on Sunday from a caretaker who had seen the blackened windows in the unit.
Fire Safety Investigator Kerry Gregory says firefighters found the woman dead.
He says there was a fire in the woman's bedroom and it looks she tried to get out after a smoke alarm went off, but she was overcome by the smoke.
Mr Gregory says the fire was already out when the fire service arrived.
