A 26-year-old man is facing an arson charge following the death of an elderly woman in a unit fire on the Central Coast.
The 77-year-old woman’s body was found in the loungeroom of her single-level unit on Melissa Cl at Bateau Bay about 9.30pm on Sunday.
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“While the body is yet to be formally identified, it’s believed to be that of the 77-year-old woman who lives in the unit,” police said.
The woman suffered severe burns, and the unit was heavily charred, with walls coated in thick, black smoke residue.


The fire had largely burnt out by the time emergency services arrived and appeared to have started some time before, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Superintendent Adam Dewberry said.
“It’s not common, but it’s not unheard of, that a fire can ignite in a home, be pent-up, literally burn out all the oxygen, and just smoulder and then self-extinguish,” he said.
Police are treating the death as suspicious and could not confirm whether the woman died as a result of the fire, which was contained to the unit.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days to confirm her identity and cause of death.
A 26-year-old relative of the woman, who has at times stayed in the unit, was arrested earlier at 3.30pm on Sunday at Chittaway Point on an outstanding warrant for an unrelated domestic violence-related offence, according to police.
On Monday he was charged with “damage property by fire or explosion more than $15,000 (DV)“ in relation to the unit fire.
He was refused bail and will appear in court on Tuesday.

A member of the public found an item near Joseph Banks Oval and handed it to police, Gilies said.
Superintendent Chad Gillies said the elderly woman last spoke with her family about 9pm on Saturday.
“While the body of the woman was not discovered until 9.30pm, information provided to police indicate the fire may have been burning for some hours before it was detected,” he said.
Police are asking anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in or around the unit between then and 9pm on Sunday to come forward.
FRNSW is investigating the cause of the fire and whether the unit was fitted with a working smoke alarm.
A crime scene was established and is still active as of Monday evening.
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