Police launch murder probe after bodies of mother, 34, and her four-year-old son are found in bedroom destroyed by deliberate fire as her partner fights for life in hospital
- Fire crews were called to house in Eastbourne in the early hours of Tuesday
- A man escaped the blaze and is in hospital. A woman and child were killed
- Police launch murder probe after petrol canister reported seen in flames
The bodies of a mother and her four-year-old son have been found in the wreckage of a house fire.
Police launched a murder investigation and are treating the blaze as arson.
Officers were called to the scene in Eastbourne, East Sussex, shortly after 1am yesterday morning. The bodies were found in a first floor bedroom at noon today.
The victims – believed to be that of a 34-year-old woman who lived in the house and her son – are yet to be formally identified.
A woman and a four-year-old boy have died in a fire being treated as arson in Eastbourne
A 26-year-old man – the woman’s partner who is not the father of the boy – has been taken to hospital with burns and remains in an induced coma at this stage.
No-one has been arrested. A petrol can was reported seen in the flames as the house burned.
Neighbours living near the house fire told of their shock on social media.
Dan Russell wrote on Facebook: ‘Sickening… house opposite us completely destroyed 1am this morning.
‘We know a male got out with severe burns but don’t know if the women and baby was in the house but doesn’t look like they got out. Possible arson as petrol can was a light outside front door.
‘A massive thank you to the emergency services for there fast response it could have been a lot worse.’
Experts were seen in the property today as investigators try to work out the cause of the blaze
Mr Russell added: ‘Was the house opposite us. Girls woke us up saying their a fire and need to call fire brigade so looked thinking it would be a little fire in the grass and was confronted with whole house fire.
‘Was one of the first out thereto try and help make sure neighbours was out their houses then fire brigade turned up. Luckily no one was in either side as they got their doors smashed in so could be checked.
‘Think the mother and baby didn’t get out but nothing confirmed yet but the man did as saw him being taking on stretcher to ambulance. He got out the back window.’
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Ashcroft, of the Surrey and Sussex major crime team, said: ‘This is a dreadful incident and the worst fears have been realised.
‘Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and the whole community at this time.’
Anyone with footage of the fire or any information should call police on 101 quoting Operation Druffield.
Neighbours reported seeing a petrol can amid the flames after the fire started
Advertisement