Woman dies in fire after calling police

A teaching assistant was killed in a house fire hours after she called police for help. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Denise Keane-simmons, 36, died after a blaze in Stonebridge, north-west London, at 2.15am on Thursday. A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of arson and murder. The victim and the suspect knew each other, investigators said. Police said Ms Keane-simmons contacted police a few hours before the fire, and said a referral has been made to Scotland Yard’s Directorate of Professional Standards.