News

A mother and her young daughter have died in a blaze which ripped through their Deal home at around 5.30am this morning (20 December).

Friends said that Theresa Dunn and her daughter aged 9, perished in the early morning fire, however it appears that the woman's son escaped the tragedy as he was not staying at the house when the fire broke out according to reports on the Daily Mail website.

More than 20 firefighters quickly managed to put out the blaze on the ground floor of the two-storey home in Quern Road.

A spokeswoman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said that the girl and her mother were found upstairs by firefighters.

It is thought the blaze started in the downstairs front room, but police and fire officers said it was speculation at this stage to suggest an electrical fault was the cause.

A police spokeswoman said: "There is nothing apparently suspicious about the fire, but we cannot say that with 100% certainty, until it has been fully investigated."

Det Insp Steve Bridges said: "Two members of the public travelling home from work this morning noticed smoke coming from the address.

"They made efforts to rouse the occupants unsuccessfully and called the fire brigade."