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Sir Don Beaven - Source: ONE News -
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Renowned Christchurch medical professor Sir Don Beaven is feared to have died fighting a fire at his Canterbury bach on Wednesday.
The authority on diabetes and former chairman of the Canterbury Area Health Board was thought to have been alone at his house in Little Akaloa, on Banks Peninsula, when fire broke out about 11.40am.
Akaroa chief fire officer Kim Stewart says the hillside property was well alight when crews arrived.
A body has been found and revovered from the property and will now undergo a postmortem examination.
A garden hose leading in to the house, still running but charred, led crews to fear the victim had tried to fight the fire.
A police specialist disaster victim identification team spent Wednesday afternoon searching the remains of the house.
The search was complicated by the huge number of books in the house, Stewart says.
Senior Sergeant Stu Munro, of Selwyn police, say a scene examination had been completed and the matter referred to the coroner. The fire is not thought to be suspicious.
Sir Don was a pioneer in major developments in diabetes treatment and prevention, and in many initiatives in public health.
He was foundation professor of the Christchurch School of Medicine and had held medical appointments and fellowships all over the world.
He was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit - the country's highest honour - in the 2005 New Year Honours,
He recently accepted a knighthood after the National Government
restored the former honours system.
Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia says the death of Sir Don
Beaven is a tragic loss.
She was with him only two days ago in his role as co-patron of
Diabetes New Zealand.
Auckland fire
A school fire in Auckland is the latest incident where fireworks
got into the wrong hands.
A building at May Road School in Mt Roskill caught alight, after
children were seen playing with fireworks in the grounds.
The fire service is warning people to take care tonight with their
Guy Fawkes celebrations.
