Police in Christchurch are investigating whether criminal charges can be laid as a result of any deaths in the February 2011 earthquake.
They have already been investigating whether charges can be laid in connection with the collapse of the CTV building, and they have now confirmed their inquiries have been widened.
Detective Inspector Darryl Sweeney said the Canterbury CIB had a number of post-quake investigations in hand.
He said one of those related to the circumstances of a death at a Colombo Street tattoo parlour, Southern Ink.
Errol Hadfield, whose daughter-in-law Nathasha Hadfield died in the February 2011 earthquake, said he was pleased a wider investigation is under way.
Ms Hadfield was one of 185 people, who died in the quake. She was in the Wicks fish shop on Worcester Street, in Linwood.
A Royal Commission in 2012 found that the CTV building, which collapsed killing 115 people, had serious design and construction flaws, and its report heavily criticised the building's designers.
Both escaped sanction from the Institute of Professional Engineers after resigning from the organisation.
Last year police said they had reached the view that a further criminal investigation into the CTV building collapse was warranted.
Mr Hadfield said he understood the police were looking into a number of the deaths which resulted from the quake, to see if any property managers and owners were liable to be charged over the use of buildings already damaged in the September 2010 quake.