Baby dies in 'arson atack'

A baby and two adults have been killed in a suspected arson attack today.

They died when fire swept through flats above a restaurant in High Street, Chatham in Kent in the early hours, trapping them as they slept.

A number of people managed to escape from the burning building but firefighters found the three bodies inside.

Some residents claimed the fire doors in the block were locked, hampering their escape. A man and a woman were taken to hospital suffering the effects of breathing in smoke.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established but three people were arrested and are being questioned at Rochester police station.

Inspector Geoff Wood, of Kent Police, said a major investigationhad begun. "This was an extremely serious fire which we are treating as suspicious," he added.

About 80 firefighters worked through the night to control the fire which started just after 1am above the Blaze Turkish restaurant, which only opened two weeks ago.

Police have closed roads around the scene while forensic science teams investigate. It is thought the fire started in a stairwell in the four-storey Edwardian building.

One resident, who was evacuated with his daughter from the top floor, was led down a ladder by firefighters. He was taken to hospital but later returned to the scene, breaking down in the arms of a relative when he saw the destruction. His nephew, who did not want to be named, said: "No fire alarms went off, all the fire escapes were locked and none of the residents had keys."

Robert Wiseman, from Medway council's building control department, who has been inside the fire-damaged building to investigate its structural safety, said: "The bodies of two adults and one child are still inside the building."

Kevin Wright was asleep in his flat above the restaurant when the fire started. His partner Sophie Collins said: "He woke up and his flat was full of smoke. He went to the front door to see what it was and the door handle was red-hot, he couldn't open the door. He went to the window and managed to get out on to a ledge, people told him to jump, but he didn't. Somehow he got down.

"Someone from the nightclub opposite gave him some shoes as he had bare feet. He had put on some tracksuit bottoms and that was it."

Station Officer Mick Perkin from Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "When we arrived there were people waiting to be rescued, some were standing at windows.

"It was clear to us from the moment we arrived that it was a very serious fire. We later found the bodies of three people inside the building.

"We were worried the fire would spread to neighbouring flats. However, it was brought under control."