Girl aged ten dies alongside father in Hull house fire

A man and his ten-year-old daughter have perished in a house fire in Hull, emergency services have confirmed.
By Susie Beever
Published 25th Jan 2020, 12:36 BST
Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA WireForensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire

The fire broke out at a house on Wensley Avenue in the city earlier on Saturday morning.

Humberside Fire & Rescue Service, as well as police and ambulance services, were called to the scene at 7.50am.

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One neighbour told local media how he had tried desperately to alert the people inside by knocking on the door and shouting through the letterbox, but to no avail.

Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA WireForensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A man was pronounced dead at the scene while a girl rescued from the building was taken to hospital, where she also died. It is believed the two were the only people in the property at the time.

Initial reports claimed the girl was aged eight, although the fire service have since corrected her age as ten.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "We pulled out an adult male and who we now know is his 10-year-old daughter, and tragically both lives were lost to the fire.

"We're working with police colleagues on the scene.

Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA WireForensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Forensics officers at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue, Hull, where two people have died, including an eight-year-old. Danny Lawson/PA Wire
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"We have got fire investigation officers there who will be working tirelessly throughout today."

Local resident Carl Goodfellow told the Hull Daily Mail he had tried to alert the occupants of the house to the blaze, banging on the door and shouting through the letterbox.

He said: "It's devastating, you just don't expect this sort of thing."

Another witness told the newspaper three fire engines, two ambulances and four police cars had attended the scene.

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Investigators wearing white forensic suits have been working at the house, and flowers and a toy rabbit have been left in tribute near the police cordon.

A statement issued by Humberside Police said: "Emergency services are currently at the scene of a fire at a house on Wensley Avenue in Hull.

"Humberside Fire and Rescue, ambulance and police were called at 7.50am today to reports of a fire at a house. Emergency services worked to extinguish the fire and get the occupants out of the building.

"Tragically two people have died in the fire. A man was pronounced dead at the scene and an eight year-old girl, who had been taken to hospital, has sadly died.

"There will be a scene guard in place today as emergency services continue to work together to establish the cause of the fire."