Bradford house fire which killed three children and woman was started deliberately, police believe
21 August 2024, 14:51 | Updated: 21 August 2024, 18:30
A 29-year-old woman and three children have been named after they were pronounced dead following a house fire in Bradford, which police believe was "started deliberately".
Five fire service crews and police arrived just after 2am on Wednesday morning, but 29-year-old Bryonie Gawith was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three children - two girls and a boy - were taken to hospital, but later died.
They have been named by police as Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and Aubree Birtle, 22 months.
A man, 39, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and taken to hospital with critical injuries.
"Whilst inquiries are at their early stages, we believe that the fire was started deliberately and this incident was domestic-related," Superintendent Lucy Leadbeater of West Yorkshire Police said in a statement this afternoon.
"Detectives from our homicide and major inquiry team have launched a murder investigation into the fire.
"Specially trained officers are supporting the family and my neighbourhood officers are in the area carrying out reassurance patrols," she added.
Supt Leadbeater added: "I would appeal to anyone who was in the Westbury Road area at the time of the incident, who has CCTV or doorbell footage to come forward.
"Our thoughts are with the family, their friends and the community at this sad time."
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Local residents left flowers at the police cordon on Wednesday afternoon.
A message with one bunch said: "I love you all, all this world and more. I will miss you forever. Miss you my beautiful angels."
Lindsey Pearson, who lives around the corner from the house, said her daughter heard shouting and screaming coming from the direction of the house at about 1.45am.
"I saw blue flashing lights, which were just continuous, and thought 'something's not right'," she said.
Ms Pearson said her daughter and son-in-law's room was filled with the smell of smoke.
"We looked out of the window and just saw a big flame. The sky was just lit up. It was like thunder and lightning."
Ms Pearson, who has lived in the area for 14 years, said: "We thought it was the care home at the top of the road, because that's where we work, and thought 'we need to go, we need to go'."
Ms Pearson said she left the house with her son-in-law and was met with police.
"They were saying there's people inside, it's a house fire. And they wouldn't let us through, which you can understand but we just wanted to help. It's absolutely terrible. Everybody was just so upset."
(c) Sky News 2024: Bradford house fire which killed three children and woman was started deliberately, police believe
