Mother And Four Children Die Is Suspect House Fire

A mother and four of her children have died in a suspected arson attack in Essex.

A fifth child is in a critical condition in hospital after the blaze in Barn Mead, Harlow, in the early hours of Monday.

Fire crews were called to the property at 01.45 and managed to get the occupants out but a woman and three of her children were pronounced dead at Princess Alexandra hospital.

The children were understood to be two boys, aged six and 13, and an 11-year-old girl. A fourth child died later at the hospital.

A man was treated for minor injuries.

David Johnson, chief fire officer for Essex county fire and rescue, said the fire was being treated as suspicious because it "developed exceptionally quickly and was exceptionally intense".

The blaze, started downstairs while the family were asleep upstairs.

Johnson said that the discovery of a burning car so close to the house was "beyond coincidence", even though it did not belong to the family. He said that the father was outside the house when the blaze started and was helping police with their inquiries.

(H)