Boy, 15, second person arrested in connection with Dungannon house fire that left four people hospitalised
A teenage boy is the second person to be arrested in connection with a house fire in Dungannon.
This evening (4th) detectives arrested a 15-year-old on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
He remains in police custody, assisting with enquiries.
A 21-year-old man previously arrested on the same charge is still in police custody as of this evening.
Four people were taken to hospital following the fire on Cunninghams Lane, which occurred shortly after 8.30pm on Monday evening.
A man aged 37 and a woman aged 70 remain in a serious condition, while two children, aged 7 and 10, are in a stable condition.
Said a PSNI spokeswoman: “A police cordon remains in place as officers work alongside the Fire Service to establish the cause of the fire, and we are continuing to appeal to anyone who might have any information which could assist us, to contact 101, quoting reference 1668 of 03/02/25.”
Reports can also be submitted online via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport while Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org
The bravery of police who dashed into the burning building to rescue the occupants has been praised.
Speaking to media at PSNI headquarters in east Belfast earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said he believed those in the house may have died had it not been for the “brave and courageous actions of these police officers”, expressing his pride in his colleagues.
Eight police officers were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after the blaze, but have since been released.
Asked about what police believe was the motive behind the incident, Mr Singleton said they are keeping an open mind at this stage.
“Our officers obtained two ladders from neighbouring properties and were able to rescue an unresponsive 70-year-old woman and a young child from the rear of the property,” he said.
“A number of the officers then very bravely entered the house and brought the second child and a 37-year-old to safety.
“We can confirm that this fire was started deliberately. It’s hard to comprehend that mindless cruelty of the kind of this act, and the panic and fear it caused to those in the home, is absolutely unimaginable.”