Two killed in Grangetown house fire as Cleveland Police open murder probe

Two people died and four were injured in a house fire on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown. Cleveland Police have launched a murder investigation and have not ruled out links to organised crime.

Murder inquiry opened after two die in Grangetown house fire

Two people died and four others were injured following a house fire on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Daily Express reports. Cleveland Police are treating the deaths as murder.

Officers were called to the scene just before 5.30am. A woman remains in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, while three further individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are currently being treated in hospital.

Detectives have said they "cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time." The fire occurred approximately two miles from the A66 crash on Saturday morning that claimed the lives of five young men and two police officers. Police had previously indicated that those five men may have had connections to "serious and organised criminal activity."

Redcar and Cleveland local policing commander, Superintendent Emily Harrison, said: "This is a tragic incident which has sadly resulted in the deaths of a number of people this morning, and their families are being supported by specially trained officers."

Harrison added that officers were working to establish the exact circumstances of the blaze. "We are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time," she said. "We will have a high visibility presence in the Grangetown area as this investigation progresses, and to provide reassurance to local communities."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference number 170941, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

Source: Daily Express