Browse Sections

• Education
• Business
• Blog
• Special reports

Fatal fire to be treated as murder

30/ 6/2008

THE death of 71-year-old Hameeda Begum following a house fire in Bolton is now being treated as murder.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the blaze on Little Holme Walk, Great Lever, on Monday 23 June.

The incident is being treated as arson and officers are still appealing for witnesses.

At 11.30pm the fire brigade alerted police to a house fire on Little Holme Walk, Great Lever, Bolton.

Four people had been inside the house at the time of the blaze: Hameeda, her husband, a 24-year-old woman and a five-year-old girl.

The occupants were rescued from the house by firefighters but Hameeda later died in hospital.

The 24-year-old remains in a critical condition at Wythenshawe Hospital and the five-year-old remains in critical condition at a hospital in Leicester.

Three firefighters who helped rescue the occupants also received burns. One of the officers suffered up to 50% burns to his lower back and legs, and serious burns to his hands.

Detective Superintendent Sam Haworth from the major incident team said: "We are treating this fire as arson and therefore the tragic death of Hameeda will be treated as murder.

"Two people still remain critically ill as a result of this fire and it is vital that we find out who is responsible for starting this devastating blaze.

"I know the community are as committed as we are to finding out who did this, and we still have a dedicated team of detectives working on this case. I still want to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity of Little Holme Walk between 10pm and midnight last Monday, any information could prove vital."

Anyone with information is asked to call the major incident team on 0161 856 2197 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.