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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Double fatal fire was 'homicide' | Double fatal fire was 'homicide' |
| (28 minutes later) | |
| A fire which claimed the lives of two people living in sheltered housing is being treated by police as homicide - murder or manslaughter. | A fire which claimed the lives of two people living in sheltered housing is being treated by police as homicide - murder or manslaughter. |
| The man and woman, both aged 77, died following the fire which broke out in the early hours of Saturday at Harold Cox Place, Rugby, Warwickshire. | The man and woman, both aged 77, died following the fire which broke out in the early hours of Saturday at Harold Cox Place, Rugby, Warwickshire. |
| A second fire at the same place early on Monday is also thought to be arson. | A second fire at the same place early on Monday is also thought to be arson. |
| Police said they had no evidence to link the attacks to rumoured anti-social behaviour. | |
| 'Criminally reckless' | |
| Det Con Insp James Essex said: "Although there has been speculation about the incident being linked to anti-social behaviour in the area, at this stage we have no evidence to substantiate that." | |
| He said no calls had been made complaining of incidents of that nature and no members of the public had been to them to confirm a link. | He said no calls had been made complaining of incidents of that nature and no members of the public had been to them to confirm a link. |
| Det Supt Graeme Pallister said police were keeping an open mind as to what could be behind the motives or in the mind of a person who would behave in such a "criminally reckless" way. | |
| The first fire began close to a mobility scooter parked next to flats at about 0250 GMT on Saturday. | The first fire began close to a mobility scooter parked next to flats at about 0250 GMT on Saturday. |
| A 74-year-old woman was rescued from a neighbouring property by firefighters. | A 74-year-old woman was rescued from a neighbouring property by firefighters. |
| The second fire, which was reported at about 0130 GMT on Monday, also started near a mobility scooter, Warwickshire Police said. | The second fire, which was reported at about 0130 GMT on Monday, also started near a mobility scooter, Warwickshire Police said. |
| CCTV footage | |
| No-one was hurt in the incident but two nearby flats had to be evacuated. | No-one was hurt in the incident but two nearby flats had to be evacuated. |
| Neighbour Errol Thompson said it "beggared belief". | |
| "For a person to target another scooter, knowing the consequences as a result of their actions. | |
| "To do that again, it just beggars belief." | |
| Officers are examining CCTV footage and carrying out house-to-house inquiries. | Officers are examining CCTV footage and carrying out house-to-house inquiries. |
| A spokesman said: "Detectives are investigating a second suspicious fire at Harold Cox Place, Rugby, where two elderly people died at the weekend. | A spokesman said: "Detectives are investigating a second suspicious fire at Harold Cox Place, Rugby, where two elderly people died at the weekend. |
| Extra patrols | |
| "Police are now treating both incidents as arson and believe that they may be connected." | "Police are now treating both incidents as arson and believe that they may be connected." |
| Extra patrols are taking place in the area and at other sheltered housing in the borough, a council spokesman said. | Extra patrols are taking place in the area and at other sheltered housing in the borough, a council spokesman said. |
| Steve Shanahan, head of housing for Rugby Borough Council, said he was "appalled" by the two incidents and saddened to hear of the deaths. | Steve Shanahan, head of housing for Rugby Borough Council, said he was "appalled" by the two incidents and saddened to hear of the deaths. |
| Patrols by police and community safety wardens will focus on sheltered housing, he said. | Patrols by police and community safety wardens will focus on sheltered housing, he said. |
| "Our primary concern at the moment is to remind our residents to keep mobility scooters out of communal corridors and away from entrance doors to their house or flat, keep fire doors shut at night and remain in their homes in the event of a fire unless the fire is inside the home," he said. |