Stepfather released in farm girl blaze probe

A MAN arrested in connection with a farm fire in West Yorkshire which claimed the life of his two-year-old stepdaughter has been released on bail.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Oct 2011, 10:45 BST

The 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Isobel Dobson after she died in the blaze at Hessle Farm, Wragby, near Wakefield, on Friday.

He was also questioned by detectives on suspicion of attempted murder.

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Last night West Yorkshire Police said the man had now been released on police bail.

Emergency services were called to the farm at about 5.30pm on Friday and found a van and two barns ablaze on their arrival.

Isobel and her one-year-old half-sister were in the van when the fire broke out.

The 37-year-old man and the girls’ 22-year-old mother rescued the baby from the vehicle but were beaten back by flames as they tried to save Isobel.

The two-year-old’s body was found on Friday night.

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The man and his one-year-old daughter received treatment for burns at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

A joint investigation into the cause of the fire was launched by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and West Yorkshire Police, who said they were treating the blaze as suspicious.