A small rural Canterbury town has been rocked by the death of a man and his granddaughter in a house fire at the weekend.

They were Teariki Akaroa, originally of the Cook Islands, and his 2-year-old granddaughter.

Fire and Emergency NZ was called to Dunford St, Rakaia, 60km south of Christchurch, at 11.15pm on Saturday. The child died in hospital yesterday afternoon.

Akaroa’s employer, Anzco Foods, told the Herald he “always wore a big smile”.

Plant manager Dallas Woodford said: “This news has come as a tremendous shock to everyone at Anzco Foods Rakaia. TK was a highly respected and much-liked team member who formed many strong friendships.”

Akaroa had worked for Anzco for the past 10 years.

“He will be remembered for his warm personality, great sense of humour, and the genuine care he showed to those around him,” Woodford said.

“TK arrived at work with his trademark boom box blaring from the car - something the team will miss dearly.

Teariki Akaroa, of Canterbury, who was killed in a house fire on Saturday night, “always wore a big smile”. Photo / Supplied

“He had strong connections with our Canterbury site, and our colleagues there are equally devastated by this news.

“Our thoughts are with TK’s family, friends and colleagues as they navigate this heartbreaking loss.”

A fundraiser for Akaroa’s bereft family has been set up online.

“They have lost everything they have,” a Givealittle page said.

“Every little bit will help them get back on their feet after such a really hard loss.”

The family dog was also killed in the fire.

Fire and Emergency NZ was called to Dunford St, Rakaia, 60km south of Christchurch, at around 11.15pm on Saturday. The child died in hospital yesterday afternoon. Photo / Mike Thorpe

Floral tributes had been stuck to the front gate of the property where Akaroa died when the Herald visited this morning.

Emergency services arrived to find an adult dead and a child in critical condition.

But this morning, police said: “The child sadly died in hospital on Sunday afternoon”.

“The deaths with be referred to the coroner, and the fire is not thought to be suspicious.”

A fire investigator visited the scene yesterday.

It comes after a double-fatal house fire in the Auckland suburb of Bucklands Beach last week.

Police say the early morning fire last Thursday, which claimed the lives of an 11-year-old boy and a 36-year-old father-of-two, was deliberately lit.

Investigators say the blaze was started with an accelerant inside the home on Murvale Drive at 2.30am while the occupants were asleep.

A homicide investigation into the Bucklands Beach blaze is ongoing.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.