The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Victims leapt as building burnt down
Dramatic accounts have emerged of people throwing themselves from a burning building in a fatal suspected arson attack.
One man described his “miracle” escape jumping from the third floor of Rowe Court in Grovelands Road, Reading, Berkshire, while other witnesses described a woman falling or jumping from the building.
Thames Valley Police have said that one person died in the blaze while a number of others remain unaccounted for.
They have pledged that officers will “exhaust all our efforts to find signs of life” as they stage a searchand-rescue operation with emergency services colleagues.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and murder.
The blaze erupted just before 3am yesterday, with neighbours hearing an explosion before flames broke out.
Tom Price, 40, who lives in a nearby building, said: “All I heard was a massive explosion and saw smoke billowing from the flats.
“People were leaping from their windows – I know one lady jumped from a high floor.
“There were screams and shouts and glass was being smashed.
“The flames went on for hours but the police and fire engines were here so quick.”
Police said so far three people have been taken to hospital while another eight were treated by ambulance crews.
One resident who lives in the building told reporters that he and a firefighter made a desperate leap from his third-floor flat after becoming trapped.
Walking barefoot with a bandage on one of his feet, he told reporters: “I was woken up by an alarm and heard a loud explosion. I heard the people inside screaming and shouting – I think they were my neighbours.
“I opened the door of my flat and saw a big cloud of smoke – and saw that the exit was trapped. A firefighter then came in and told me the building was on fire and to leave it now, so I jumped out of the window and so did he – it’s about 12ft.”
Emergency services remained at the scene into the day, with police, ambulance crews and firefighters working at the building.
The force said the incident is not being treated as terror-related and urged people to avoid the area, where road closures are in place.
In a statement in the early afternoon yesterday, Thames Valley Police said: “Officers were called at 2.56am today following a number of reports about the incident at a property in Rowe Court off Grovelands Road.
“Sadly, one person has died as a result of this incident. A number of other people remain unaccounted for. A 31-year-old man from Reading has been arrested on suspicion of arson and murder, and is in custody.”