Cleveland Police have launched a murder investigation after two people died in a house fire on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, on Wednesday morning. Officers are not ruling out a possible link between the blaze and a crash on the A66 less than two miles away that killed seven people.
Four others injured in the blaze
Four other people were injured in the fire, including a woman who is said to be in a critical condition. Two people were confirmed dead after officers were called to the scene just before 5.30am on Wednesday.
The woman remains in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in a critical condition, and a further three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries. They are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
Possible links to organised crime
Cleveland Police said they “cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time”. Redcar and Cleveland Local Policing Commander, Superintendent Emily Harrison, said: “This is a tragic incident which has sadly resulted in the deaths of a number of people this morning, and their families are being supported by specially trained officers.
“We are working to establish the circumstances of exactly what has happened, but we are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time.”
Emergency response and community appeal
Cleveland Fire Brigade sent six fire engines and the incident command unit to the scene. A spokesperson said road closures were in place in the surrounding area and asked members of the public to avoid the area where possible.
Redcar & Cleveland borough councillor for Grangetown Adam Brook said the fire was “absolutely devastating”, but urged people not to speculate or “share unconfirmed information”. He said: “Many residents have been in touch with me throughout the morning, and I know there is understandably a great deal of concern.
“However, I would urge people not to speculate or share unconfirmed information.”
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “My daughter heard shouting and screaming this morning. The dogs were barking.”
Background to the A66 crash
The blaze happened less than two miles from the scene of a crash on Sunday between a VW Passat, which was heading in the wrong direction on the dual-carriageway, and a marked police armed response vehicle. Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the collision.
The five people in the Passat – Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – were pronounced dead at the scene at South Bank.
Cleveland Police have arrested 17 people following the crash on Sunday. The Passat had been pursued by police following an earlier incident in which a house in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough, linked to Worthy, was rammed by a vehicle. The pursuit was aborted when the Passat went the wrong way down the A66.
Police have previously said the five young men in the Passat may have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”. Four of the five had criminal convictions and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties earlier that morning.
Cleveland Police has previously said that on the morning of the collision, it received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously. The first vehicle, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo.
Police said both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were picked up by automated number plate recognition technology. The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough. Pc Blades and Pc Clough were not involved in the original pursuit but had been called to the area to assist with the search for the Passat.
