Police have released the name of the man who died after his ute crashed into a garage and caught fire in Tapanui last Friday.
He was Kenneth David Falconer, 71, from Tapanui.
The crash, on Station Rd, occurred about 3.30pm, police said last week.
Mr Falconer was the sole occupant and died at the scene.
The New Zealand Herald reported a neighbour as saying he saw a ute smash into the garage and catch fire, and that firefighters could not remove the driver as it was “just too hot”.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman confirmed that by the time two fire appliances arrived at the scene, the car was "well alight".
A funeral notice described Mr Falconer as a "dearly loved husband", a "loved father and father-in-law" and a "loved Grandad".
Police today said they extended condolences to Mr Falconer's friends and family, and that inquiries were ongoing.
