��һ�ǿ�����

A child who died in a��Southland��house fire this week has been remembered as “the sweetest boy”, and his mum - who also died - as “beautiful and amazing”.��

Eleven-year-old Kelly Kerr and his mum Kelly Kemble Kerr are being mourned by friends and family after their bodies were found on Thursday morning in their burned-out home at Manapōuri, 22 kilometres south of��Te Anau.��

The cause of the��fire is still being investigated��but Detective Sergeant Mark McCloy said police were satisfied no one else was at the house when the fire took place.��

Kemble Kerr’s partner Jason Hoggard, who also lived at the View St rental home, was away working when the fire began around 3.40am.��

Kemble Kerr’s daughter told��Stuff��her mother had a heart condition which meant she couldn’t move fast.��

“She wouldn’t have been able to escape. It was just really quick.”��

Her mum loved reading and writing, and was hoping to buy a house, Manaia Kerr said.��

“She was just so beautiful and amazing.”��

And Kemble Kerr’s namesake, son Kelly, was a creative boy interested in drawing and animating - for which he had his own YouTube channel named The Amazing Animator, Manaia Kerr told Stuff.��

Kelly, who was autistic, was “the sweetest boy”, she said.��

• 'Just tragic': Second victim found in Southland house fire, others unaccounted for
• 'Just tragic': Mother and 11-year-old son confirmed dead following Manapōuri house fire

Kelly Kerr, left, 11, with his mum Kelly Kemble Kerr. Mother and son died in a house fire in Manapōuri, Southland on Thursday. Photo / Facebook��

Her mother liked to leave the fireplace door open, which her daughter thought may have caused the fire.��

The house was well alight when volunteer firefighters from Manapōuri and Te Anau arrived, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said.��

A crane was used to remove the remaining sections of the home’s roof to allow specialist investigators from police and��Fire and Emergency New Zealand��to enter the home, McCloy said yesterday.��

Police, including the Criminal Investigations Branch, would continue working at the scene through the weekend, he said.��

“Due to significant damage, this work takes time.”��

They were supporting those affected by the tragedy.��

“Our hearts go out to the family. Events like these are tragic, and we are ensuring there is appropriate support in place for those affected by this terrible event.”��

Firefighters outside the destroyed home in View St, Manapōuri, where mother and son Kelly Kemble Kerr and Kelly Kerr, 11, died in a house fire on Thursday. Photo / Southland App��

Community leaders spoke late this week of the impact of the loss on the��small community��of only a few hundred residents.��

“It’s just tragic”, Southland District councillor Sarah Greaney said.��

“In a small community, there’s a much broader impact because very often our firefighters are close to the people involved.��

“My thoughts are with everyone and anyone who has been impacted.”��