Salford house fire: Five questioned over deaths of three children as mother seriously ill in hospital

Five people are being questioned by police after the deaths of three children in a house fire, as detectives investigate if petrol was poured through the letterbox. 

Police had urged a murder suspect to hand themselves in following the fire at the mid-terraced house in Salford, Greater Manchester at just before 5am on Monday. 

Demi Pearson, 14, was pronounced dead at the scene, while her eight-year-old brother, Brandon, and seven-year-old sister, Lacie, later died in hospital.

The children's 35-year-old mother, Michelle Pearson, is in a serious condition in hospital while a three-year-old girl is critically ill. Two 16-year-old boys, who were also in the house, managed to free themselves before fire crews arrived.

It is understood that police are investigating the possibility that petrol was poured through the letterbox of the house. 

Greater Manchester Police said three men, aged 23, 20 and 18, and a 20-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A 24-year-old man is also being questioned in custody on suspicion of assisting an offender. 

Police confirmed there were "earlier incidents" at the address and said it had made a self-referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Chief Superintendent Wayne Miller, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "In what is such a heart-breaking set of circumstances, we have been doing our very best to support the family in every way that we can and carry out our inquiries quickly and sensitively.

"We are still appealing for people who witnessed the fire itself or the events leading up to it to get in contact with us and tell us what they know.

"My thanks goes to the members of the public who have supported us with our investigation." 

Demi was a pupil at Harrop Fold School, in Salford, which featured in the Channel 4 documentary Educating Greater Manchester.

Head teacher Drew Povey said: "We are devastated at the tragic loss of life today in our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family involved."

A large police presence remained at the scene throughout the day, as both ends of the street were cordoned off, with one end blocked by large steel barriers.

Tearful locals stood at the end of the cordons and consoled each other with embraces.