Murder probe launched after fatal house fire near Middlesbrough linked to A66 crash

Two people died in a house fire in Grangetown, with police saying they cannot rule out links to organised crime following last week's deadly A66 crash.

Fatal house fire in Grangetown raises fears of organised crime connection

Cleveland Police have opened a murder investigation after two people died in a house fire on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, early on Wednesday morning, the Daily Express reports. Officers arrived at the scene just before 5.30am, and the force has stated it "cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time."

Four other people were injured in the blaze. A woman remains in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, while three others are receiving treatment for injuries not considered life-threatening.

The fire broke out approximately two miles from the site of a catastrophic crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday, which claimed seven lives — among them two serving police officers.

Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat, which had been pursued by police, was driven the wrong way along the dual-carriageway and struck their marked armed response vehicle. The five occupants of the Passat — Cole Worthy, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak — were pronounced dead at the scene at South Bank.

A total of 17 people have now been arrested in connection with the A66 crash. On Tuesday, five further arrests were made with assistance from the National Crime Agency and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. Those detained include a 16-year-old boy, an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old man, all on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group; a 55-year-old on suspicion of assisting an offender; and a 23-year-old on suspicion of making threats to kill.

Cleveland Police confirmed that two of the 12 people previously arrested have already appeared in court. Investigations into the full circumstances surrounding Saturday's crash continue.

Source: Daily Express