Key Facts

• The house fire happened early Wednesday morning in the Grangetown area of Middlesbrough.
• Two people died in the fire; a woman is critically ill in hospital, and three others have less serious injuries.
• Police have started a murder investigation but are still determining what exactly happened.
• The fire occurred about two miles from a fatal car crash on Saturday that killed seven people, including two police officers.
• Police seized the opportunity of the recent events to arrest 17 people suspected of organised crime links.
• The car crash involved a Volkswagen Passat driving the wrong way on a highway, which collided with a police car.
• Local authorities have urged the public not to spread unconfirmed information about the fire.
• Firefighters sent six fire engines and a command unit to control the house blaze and have closed roads nearby.