A Coroner has ruled that the deaths of two people in a Christchurch house fire were the result of suicide.
Four Japanese people died in the fire, which was deliberately lit fire in April 2007.
Coroner Murray Jamieson found that two of the deaths were self-inflicted and no other person was involved.
Dr Jamieson said the other two women died from an act of unlawful killing.
Both appeared to have been in bed when the fire began and there was evidence that one had tried to escape.
Evidence was heard that the husband and wife renting the house were a generous couple and had come into financial difficulties.
