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Father held over fatal house fire | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of three members of his own family in a house fire in Manchester. | |
Carly Swift, 19, died soon after the blaze swept through the family's townhouse in Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, in the early hours of Thursday. | Carly Swift, 19, died soon after the blaze swept through the family's townhouse in Ashton Old Road, Openshaw, in the early hours of Thursday. |
Her brother, Jordan Swift, 14, and step-brother John Hargreaves, aged eight, died a few hours later. | |
Sources have told the BBC that the 37-year-old man arrested by police is Kevin Hargreaves, John's father. | |
Mr Hargreaves, step-father to Ms Swift and her brother, suffered burns in the blaze and remains in hospital. | |
He has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and will be taken into custody when he is discharged from hospital. | |
Smoke alarm | Smoke alarm |
Investigations into the cause of the blaze which ripped through the top two floors of the three-storey building are continuing. | |
Specialist fire investigators were working with police scientists to sift through the scene on Friday. | Specialist fire investigators were working with police scientists to sift through the scene on Friday. |
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire had yet to be established. | A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire had yet to be established. |
Investigations are likely to continue at the scene for a number of days, he added. | Investigations are likely to continue at the scene for a number of days, he added. |
Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the window | Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the window |
The recently-built property was fitted with a smoke detector and part of the investigation will focus on whether it was working. | The recently-built property was fitted with a smoke detector and part of the investigation will focus on whether it was working. |
Three adults and nine children were in the house when the fire broke out at about 0500 BST on Thursday. | Three adults and nine children were in the house when the fire broke out at about 0500 BST on Thursday. |
Police said all three adults and six of the children were taken to hospital suffering burns and the effects of smoke inhalation. | |
Neighbours who described the scene said smoke and flames were "billowing" from the windows as the children's mother was seen screaming and crying for help in the street. | |