A woman and her two children, aged seven and four, died in a house fire in the early hours of Boxing Day in Brimscombe, Gloucestershire. The father, a serving police officer, desperately tried to save them but was beaten back by the flames.
Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher said the family was woken by the blaze at around 3am. The father attempted to reach the children's bedroom but was unable due to the fire's intensity. He smashed a bathroom window to escape and tried to enter the children's room from outside, but failed. He then tried to re-enter through the bathroom, but the fire had taken hold there, and he was forced to go downstairs, where he could not get back inside.
The man was treated at hospital. Fire crews arrived and managed the fire, but the roof had collapsed. The body of the mother, in her late 30s, was recovered, along with one child's body. The search for the second child continues.
Gloucestershire Police do not suspect foul play. The father is a well-liked officer with the force. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Nathaniel Hooton said an urban search and rescue team was assisting. Community leaders expressed shock, describing the family as popular and loved.
