Murder investigation launched after two die in Middlesbrough house fire

Murder inquiry launched after blaze in Grangetown area, amid investigation into collision in which seven died

A murder investigation has been launched after two people were killed in a house fire in Middlesbrough, with police not ruling out links to organised crime or the crash on the A66 on Saturday that killed seven people including two police officers.

A child was one of those killed in the blaze in the early hours of Wednesday and a woman was in a critical condition in hospital. Three other people sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Two men aged 23 and 31 have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The developments came as police continued to investigate the wider circumstances around the collision.

Supt Emily Harrison, Redcar and Cleveland’s local policing commander, said of the blaze: “We continue to work to establish the circumstances of exactly what has happened, but we are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time.”

The location of the fire in the Grangetown area was about two miles from the scene of Saturday’s collision in which a Volkswagen Passat, travelling in the wrong direction, crashed head-on into a police vehicle on the A66.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the collision. The five occupants of the Volkswagen Passat were also killed. They have been named as Cole Worthy and Theo Rae, both 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Robert Cahill and Jakub Matusiak, both 23.

Cleveland police said that since then they had “continued to disrupt those suspected of being involved in serious and organised crime”. That effort has resulted in 17 arrests.

Wayne Fox, the assistant chief constable responsible for the strategic leadership of the investigation, said: “This has been a fast-moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity. The events of that tragic night will have a lasting and profound impact on the Cleveland area and the communities we seek to protect.

“We have a duty to respond to, and thoroughly investigate, the serious criminal activity that resulted in this fatal incident, and to bring all those responsible to justice. Our robust response will continue in the weeks and months to come as we continue to tackle those that seek to cause harm to our communities and tackle serious and organised crime.”

Cleveland fire brigade said it sent six fire engines and an incident command unit to the Grangetown blaze. A spokesperson said road closures were in place and asked members of the public to avoid the area where possible.

At the scene, a 20-year-old neighbour described how people had tried to rescue the occupants of the house. Ellie, who declined to give her surname, said: “The entire house was scorching. I couldn’t get near the front of the house, it was that hot.”

She described holding the hand of a crying woman who had jumped from an upstairs window, staying with her until paramedics arrived.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “My daughter heard shouting and screaming … the dogs were barking. I don’t know the people who live there, we just say hello when we walk past.”

Adam Brook, a Redcar and Cleveland borough council member for Grangetown, said the fire was “absolutely devastating”. He said: “Many residents have been in touch with me throughout the morning and I know there is understandably a great deal of concern. However, I would urge people not to speculate or share unconfirmed information.”

Police have previously said the five occupants of the Passat may have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”. Four of the five had criminal convictions and were believed to be associated with another car that was seen ramming properties earlier that morning.

Inquests into the deaths of Blades and Clough are due to be opened in Middlesbrough on Thursday morning, and inquests for the other five people killed are scheduled to open that afternoon.