Man held in house deaths inquiry

A family friend raised the alarm

Detectives are continuing to question a 49-year-old man over the deaths of a woman and two children who may have died from gas boiler fumes.

The bodies of a woman in her 30s and two boys, aged three and 18 months, were found on Thursday at a house in Alderman Avenue, Barking, east London.

Two other women rescued by fire crews are said to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Police said inquiries were focused on work done on a boiler last weekend.

The arrested man is being held in custody at an east London police station.

'Gas poisoning'

Det Ch Insp Ian Stevenson said: "One line of inquiry we are following is that over the weekend... some work was done to a gas boiler.

"The deaths may be connected to carbon monoxide poisoning."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "As a matter of course the deaths are being treated as suspicious at this very early stage.

"One line of inquiry is the possibility that the deaths are the result of faulty gas equipment, possibly a boiler.

"But we retain an open mind as this stage about what has happened, and our inquiries continue."

Breathing difficulties

A post-mortem examination was expected to take place on Friday afternoon.

Emergency services were alerted at 1340 BST on Thursday after a friend of the family discovered the victims inside the house.

Seven ambulance crews, four fire engines, an air ambulance and a fast response car with paramedic crew were called to the scene.

An ambulance spokeswoman said the two women rescued from the house were treated for breathing difficulties at the scene.