£4.5m cost of fire crew tragedy inquiry

The inquiry, launched following the blaze in Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire, in November 2007, has seen a total of 12 people arrested on suspicion of offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

All have been bailed until next year pending further inquiries into the fire at a vegetable packing facility.

In a statement confirming the current cost, Warwickshire Police said it was now confident it was in the final stage of the joint inquiry with the Health and Safety Executive.

Detective Superintendent Ken Lawrence, leading the investigation, said: “This is the largest and most complex investigation ever undertaken by Warwickshire Police and I have always said that we would give it all the time it needed in order to establish the truth and establish exactly what happened.

“There are still active lines of inquiry being pursued as to how the fire started and it is anticipated that this aspect will also be concluded in the near future.”