BRITAIN: The deaths of four children and a man whose bodies were found in a blazing car might have been the result of murder and suicide, police said yesterday.
The bodies were found when emergency services were called to a blazing Nissan Primera car in South Crescent, on a trading estate in West Ham, east London.
The five bodies, believed to be those of an adult black male and four black children were found inside the burned-out car.
Detective Superintendent Jim Osbourne from the Serious Crime Group told a press conference at Forest Gate police station: "Murder and suicide are a potential line of inquiry.
"We possibly know the identification of the victims.
"The early indications are that the man found is native to this part of London.
"His estranged partner has been informed of the death.
"The man's marital history and custody arrangements will be one aspect of our inquiries.
"There has been an intense fire, the vehicle and the bodies are badly burnt but it is too early to say the cause of the fire and the cause of death.
"Home Office Pathologist Dr Mike Heath is at the scene examining the vehicle with a representative of the Forensic Science Service. A post-mortem examination will be held later today.
"I can't speculate on the gender or ages of the children.
"The vehicle and the bodies will shortly be removed for examination. Officers are actively working to retrieve CCTV images from the area.
"The emergency services were called at 12.45 am to South Crescent, in West Ham by a witness passing through the area who saw a car alight.
"We hope there are more witnesses but it is an isolated spot. The only people I would expect to find there at that time of night are courting couples, night workers and delivery companies."
A security officer at a local firm, said:
"It's really nearby to us but I couldn't tell what had happened. If five people have died here then that is a tragedy."
He said the area was a trading estate which was often deserted at weekends, and added that few people were likely to have been in the area when the fire started.- (PA)