The suspicious death of an elderly woman in a unit fire on the NSW central coast has prompted a homicide investigation with police describing the case as "absolutely tragic".
The severely-burnt body of the 77-year-old woman, who has not been formally identified, was found late on Sunday after the blaze was extinguished at the unit in the village of Bateau Bay.
Police said late on Monday that homicide squad and local detectives had formed a strike force to investigate the incident, although the woman's cause of of death had not been established.
Tuggerah Lakes Superintendent Chad Gillies said a 26-year-old relative of the woman, in custody for unrelated matters, was being questioned about the fire.
While the woman's body was not found until 9.30pm, information given to police suggested the fire may have burnt for hours before it was detected.
"It's absolutely tragic, a 77-year-old female in her own home, dying inside her own unit through a fire," Supt Gillies said.
