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Police rule out boiler as cause of deadly housing association fire

Police have ruled out a faulty boiler as the cause of a fire in a housing association-owned house which killed four young children.

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Picture: ITV News
Picture: ITV News
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Police rule out boiler as cause of deadly house fire #ukhousing

Riley Holt, aged eight, Keegan Unitt, aged six, Tilly Rose Unitt, aged four, and Olly Unitt, aged three, lost their lives in the blaze in Stafford last Tuesday.

The wrecked home is owned by 6,000-home landlord Stafford and Rural Homes.

Staffordshire Police issued a statement this morning ruling out potential causes of the fire in response to “several rumours which had spread locally”.

As well as the boiler, the force said preliminary investigations had also determined the fire was not a result of cannabis growing in the home.


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“This is a complex ongoing investigation and, while we appreciate there is a demand for answers, our primary aim is to understand exactly what happened in this tragic fire,” detective inspector Alan Lyford said.

“We do not believe that a boiler defect was responsible and we can confirm there is no truth in rumours that cannabis was being grown at the property and may have been a cause.

“We’d again like to thank people for their patience, but kindly ask that people do not speculate as such comments can be misleading to an investigation as well as causing upset.”

A 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man arrested on Friday on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence following the fire have been bailed and are now living away from the area.

The mother of the children who have died and her partner escaped from the fire through a first-floor window, together with a two-year-old boy.

Stafford and Rural Homes said in its last statement on the fire on Friday: “Stafford and Rural Homes continues to offer support and advice to anybody living in our homes or neighbourhoods on 0800 111 4554.

“Our sympathies and thoughts remain with all those connected to this tragic loss.”

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