Middlesbrough: Deadly house fire and A66 crash not linked, say police
Police in Middlesbrough have confirmed that a fatal house fire and a separate A66 vehicle crash are not linked, despite both occurring within the same week. Two arrests have been made regarding the house fire, while 17 people were arrested following the crash.
Why it matters
The clarification aims to quell public concern in an area experiencing a high volume of tragic incidents and criminal activity.
Two arrests have been made in connection with the murder investigation after a house fire on Wednesday
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A house fire in Middlesbrough that killed two people and a crash on the nearby A66 last weekend, which left seven people dead, are not being treated as linked by police.
Emergency services responded on Wednesday to a house fire where a seven-year-old girl and her aunt lost their lives, just days after a head-on crash killed two police officers and five young men in an incident linked with organised crime activity.
Hundreds of extra police officers have been drafted in to support officers after a series of recent incidents in the Middlesbrough and County Durham area.
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