Reading fire: Two people confirmed missing in flats blazeon December 16, 2021 at 7:05 am

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Police do not expect there to be any more survivors, following an extensive search.

Reading fire

Image source, PA Media

Two people have been confirmed missing after a fire at a four-storey block of flats in which a person died.

The blaze engulfed the building in Rowe Court, Reading, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police said they did not anticipate any more survivors from the fire, despite “an extensive search”.

A 31-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and arson remains in police custody.

Emergency services are set to start assessing the structural damage to the building, before recovering people from inside.

A dedicated phone line set up by Thames Valley Police for relatives and friends remains open.

Supt Steve Raffield, of Thames Valley Police, said: “We’ve been working alongside our partner agencies to do everything we can to find signs of life.

“Sadly, it’s highly unlikely we’ll find any further survivors in the building.”

He added the block of flats was “unstable”.

The fire – which is not being treated as terrorism related – started at about 03:00 GMT on Wednesday.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said its crews were on the scene within eight minutes.

Four people were treated in hospital while another seven received medical care from ambulance crews.

Although the cause of the fire is believed to be arson, its source has yet to be found.

Reading fire

Image source, PA Media

The dedicated phone number to report anyone missing or for anyone who has information is 0800 051 6079. For calls from outside the UK, contact +44 20 7126 7641.

An online portal can also be used as well.

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