03/11/2006

House fire father dies in hospital

The father of the family who died when their home was deliberately set on fire has died in hospital, it has been reported.

Mohammed Riaz was the only survivor of the house fire in Accrington, Lancashire in which his wife, Caneze, 39, and his four daughters - Sayrah, 16, Sophia, 15, Alicia, 10, and three-year-old Hannah - died.

Mr Riaz had been rescued from the house by firefighters. He had suffered 50% burns to his body and was being treated in Wythenshawe Hospital.

The fire at the family's house broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning. A murder inquiry was launched, after the discovery that accelerants had been used to start the fire. Police also said that the house had been secured and locked from the inside when the fire was started.

Police had been waiting to question Mr Riaz about the fire when he died. They said that the investigation into the fire would continue, but said that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire.

Post-mortems revealed that Mrs Riaz and her four daughters all died from smoke inhalation.

The couple also have a son, Adam, 17, who was being treated for leukemia in hospital at the time of the fire. It is understood that police have broken the news to him about his mother and sister.

On Thursday, special assemblies were held at Hyndburn Park Primary School and Accrington Moorhead Sports College where the three eldest girls attended school.

Dozens of floral tributes have also been left outside the family's home.

(KMcA)

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