Jump to contentAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA murder investigation has been launched by Cleveland Police after two people died in a house fire on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, early on Wednesday morning. A woman is currently in a critical condition at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, while three other individuals are receiving hospital treatment for non-life-threatening injuries sustained in the blaze. Police have stated that they cannot rule out links to wider organised crime, noting the fire occurred just two miles from a recent crash that killed seven people, including two police officers. Superintendent Emily Harrison confirmed that specially trained officers are supporting the victims' families and announced that high-visibility patrols will remain in the Grangetown area to reassure the local community. Local councillor Adam Brook described the incident as absolutely devastating and urged members of the public to refrain from speculating or sharing unconfirmed information while investigations continue. In fullPolice not ruling out link between A66 crash and fatal house fire near MiddlesbroughMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in