A murder investigation has been launched after a baby and a boy died in a flat fire in Nottingham.
Emergency services received reports of a fire in a first floor flat in the Clifton area of the city at 3.17am today.
An initial joint fire and police investigation concluded that the fire was started intentionally.
A woman and two young children were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and taken to Queen’s Medical Center in the city.
The two children, aged three and one, were pronounced dead at the hospital.
The woman remains in critical condition.
Neighboring homes were evacuated as firefighters tackled the blaze, which was finally extinguished at 4am.
Detective Chief Inspector Greg McGill, who is leading the investigation, said: “These are tragic and very sad circumstances and my thoughts are with the families of those involved.
“Following a joint investigation with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, we have established that the fire was deliberately started.
“We are appealing to any witnesses who were in the area at the time and saw anything suspicious to please come forward and help us with the investigation.
“We have a team of detectives who are working hard to establish the circumstances and our inquiries are still in their early stages.”
“Deeply upset”
David Mellen, the leader of Nottingham city council, said: “I am very saddened to hear this tragic news. The loss of two young children is absolutely heartbreaking.
“We will do everything we can to support the family and community at this deeply troubling time.”
Inspector Ben Lawrence, from Nottinghamshire Police, said local residents should expect to see officers in the area as the crime scene remains and investigations continue.
“This tragic incident has resulted in the tragic loss of two children’s lives and my thoughts, first and foremost, are with their loved ones at this time,” he said.
“We understand that residents who live nearby will be shocked by this news and will be concerned about what happened.
“If anyone has any concerns, I would encourage them to speak to one of our officers.”
Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to come forward on the public portal (mipp.police.uk).
If you prefer to speak to the police, call 101 and ask for Nottinghamshire Police quoting incident 0110_20112022.
Alternatively, contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.