Fatal Fire and Crash Rock Teesside Amid Escalating Violence
Two women die in Birchington Avenue blaze as police officers and five young men perish in A66 collision, sparking wider investigations into linked incidents.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
A weekend of tragedy has left nine dead across Teesside, including two police officers and a seven-year-old girl.
Two men face arrest on suspicion of murder, linked to the blaze that killed a seven-year-old girl and her aunt on Wednesday morning.
Josh Kirton, the brother of one victim, stated his sister was not involved with gangs or the A66 crash, calling the deaths senseless. He added, "There’s some terrible people in the world and now my sister and Valentina have gone."
There’s some terrible people in the world and now my sister and Valentina have gone.
Separately, a crash on the A66 claimed the lives of two police officers, Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, alongside five young men: Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jakub Matusiak, 23.
The Volkswagen Passat involved in the fatal A66 collision had been pursued by police after a vehicle reportedly rammed a house in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough, a property linked to Cole Worthy.
Paul Appleton confirmed the police pursuit of the Passat was aborted when it entered the A66 carriageway against the flow of traffic. The collision occurred shortly after with a police vehicle not directly involved in the initial pursuit.
Pc Blades and Pc Clough were called to assist with the search for the Passat but were not part of the original pursuit.
Inquests have opened into the deaths of the police officers and the five young men; four of whom reportedly had previous convictions. Cleveland Police are understood to be investigating serious criminal activity that resulted in the fatal A66 incident.
A 16-year-old boy and two men, 18 and 21, were reportedly arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group. Further investigations are underway into a vehicle ramming a property on Steele Crescent, South Bank, and a bladed weapon assault in Eston.
Cleveland Police are investigating after a vehicle repeatedly crashed into the wall of an empty property on Steele Crescent early on Thursday morning. Emily Harrison confirmed the property was empty and no injuries were reported.
Inquiries are establishing the circumstances; it has not yet been confirmed if the incident is linked to wider organised crime. A 39-year-old man was reportedly assaulted with a bladed weapon in Eston.
Armed police reportedly surrounded a house near Middlesbrough following a reported knife attack. A youth reportedly suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital by air ambulance following the knife attack.
The Prime Minister offered condolences, stating, "It’s a terribly tragic event that’s happened with the loss of a young woman and her seven-year-old niece. Utterly devastating, and I’m sure there’s a whole community that is grieving."
He also stressed deepest respect for the police officers lost in the line of duty, sending sympathies to their families and ensuring support would be available. An online appeal for the officers' families has reportedly raised over £1 million.
A 48-year-old woman remains in critical condition in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle after the Birchington Avenue fire. Three others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.