A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a person was killed in a fire at a home in London.
The incident happened at a property on Wimbledon Park Road in Wandsworth.
Emergency services were called to the scene around 6.30pm and a body was found in the back garden.
A police cordon around the street has been put in place and inquiries are underway to identify the deceased.
The body was too badly burned to establish the gender and age and police said a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.
A police cordon around the street has been put in place and inquiries are underway to identify the deceased
The incident happened at a property on Wimbledon Park Road in Wandsworth
A 40-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.
Both have been taken to separate south London police stations where they currently remain for questioning as officers access the garden of a home worth an estimated £900,000.
Two children who lived in the home where the body was found are being given ‘comfort and reassurance’ by their school.
The two young children are believed to attend Sheringdale Primary School.
A school spokesman said: ‘This is an incredibly distressing incident that has come as a great shock to the whole school community.
”Our priority is of course the welfare of all our children and their families and we will be working now, with the support of the local authority, to provide comfort and reassurance to our pupils, their families and also our staff.
”The Sheringdale community is strong and caring and together we will support each other through this difficult time.”
Natalie Maple, who lives opposite the house, said: ‘I don’t know what has happened, I have given a statement to police but it is quite unsettling to see.
‘It’s not the sort of thing you would expect to hear about around here.’
Sunny Patel, who runs nearby newsagents Sunny News, said: ‘I know the house is made up of a couple of flats, people come and go it is pretty transient.
‘Everyone has been in talking about it, its worrying.’
Other neighbours in the affluent area said they too were shocked to find a murder investigation unfolding on their door step.
One grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hadn’t anything like it in her 10 years living there.
‘It is a shock because you never see police around here, it is very quiet and friendly,’ she said.
One grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hadn’t anything like it in her 10 years living there
‘I was leaving the have lunch with my son yesterday and when I got back I saw police. I asked what was going on but they told me they couldn’t say.’
Another neighbour who lives opposite the home which is being searched said: ‘I only moved in over the summer, as I was going out last night I spotted a police car there. It was around eight pm.’
The Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are leading the investigation working closely with police in Wandsworth.
DI Richard Leonard from the HMCC said: ‘A badly burned body has been found in the rear garden of this residential address. We are doing everything we can to identify the deceased.
‘A post-mortem examination will establish how they died. Early indications are that attempts were made to dispose of the body.
‘I would like to appeal to those in and around the area to come forward with information.
‘You may well have seen or heard something suspicious in the last few days which could assist our investigators.’
The Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are leading the investigation working closely with police in Wandsworth
Superintendent Peter Gardner from Wandsworth said: ‘I fully appreciate the concern that this investigation will cause in the local community.
‘Specialist investigators will be carrying out work at the scene whilst local neighbourhood officers will be patrolling in and around the area to help reassure residents and, where possible, respond to their concerns.’
If you have information please call the Met’s incident room on 0208 721 4843 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.