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Two children die in suspected arson attack in Birmingham Police to question father of two children who died in Birmingham fire
(about 4 hours later)
Two children have died in a suspected arson attack at a house in Birmingham. The father of two children who died in a suspected arson attack at a house in Birmingham will be questioned about the blaze.
The young boy and girl died after a blaze broke out in the early hours of Friday morning. The children were rushed to hospital but were subsequently pronounced dead. A woman was also assessed by the ambulance service but did not suffer any serious injuries. The siblings died after the fire broke out in the early hours of Friday. The eight-year-old boy and six-year-old girl were taken to hospital but were subsequently pronounced dead. Their mother was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Police have launched a criminal investigation following the deaths at the property in Holland Road in Hamstead at 3.40am on Friday. The children’s father is expected to be questioned but is in a critical condition in hospital.
The area surrounding the house has been cordoned off and police remained at the scene. Witnesses said neighbours helped to carry the two children out of the house and on to the front garden.
DI Justin Spanner from West Midlands police said: “The events of this morning remain unclear and we are still trying to piece together the circumstances leading up to what happened. Brian Ball, 66, told the Birmingham Mail he was woken in the early hours. ”About 4.30am, the place was totally packed with police and the fire brigade,” he said. “I saw two firemen put up a ladder at the bottom window, there was a fire hose at the back. It was a hive of police activity. The roads were cut off.”
“This is a terrible incident and my thoughts are with everyone who has been affected. If there was anyone in the area in the early hours of this morning who thinks they may be able to help us with our investigation I would urge them to get in touch with my team.” Following the deaths of the children, police began a criminal investigation and have linked it to a car blaze in Staffordshire. The children’s father was found with serious burns in a black Vauxhall Insignia in Newcastle-under-Lyme hours after the house fire. The man in his 30s had suffered life-threatening injuries when he was found by police.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in the hallway of the house and the two children were found unwell inside. Officers were called to the scene on Whitmore Road in the Butterton area of Newcastle-under-Lyme at about 7.15am on Friday. Police said the father was connected to the events at the property in Holland Road in Hamstead, Birmingham, in the early hours.
Police said at this stage the cause of deaths was unknown and a forensic postmortem is due to take place. Firefighters were first on the scene and extinguished a fire in the hallway of the house at about 3.40am. Neighbours tried to save the children and had started emergency resuscitation when ambulance crews arrived and took over. Treatment continued en route to hospital with the boy being taken to Sandwell hospital and the girl to Birmingham children’s hospital.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Unfortunately, shortly after their arrival at the hospitals, it became clear that nothing could be done to save either child and they were confirmed deceased.”
Their mother, 36, is being treated as a witness and is being supported by specially trained officers.
On Friday morning, bouquets had been placed on one side of the police cordon.
DCI Martin Slevin, from West Midlands police, said: “This is an absolutely tragic set of circumstances and my thoughts are with everyone who has been affected. We are still at the early stages of understanding exactly what happened and why – but I can confirm we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation.
“I am still keen to hear from anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning and who has not yet spoken to us. I also want to urge anyone who saw a Vauxhall Insignia in or around the area this morning to contact my team.”