THREE men have been arrested after a 76-year-old man passed away following a house fire in Liverpool.
On Thursday, September 1, Merseyside Police officers were called to reports of a fire on Dorien Road, Old Swan, at around 3.20am.
The three occupants inside the house managed to escape but George Redmond, 76, was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation and other injuries.
It is believed that the elderly man was recovering well in hospital but he later died on Friday, September 16.
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Following an investigation, three men were arrested on Thursday, January 26, on suspicion of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.
The men, a 26-year-old from St Helens, a 36-year-old from Warrington, and a 46-year-old from Leigh have also been arrested on suspicion of Class A drugs offences.
All three are currently in custody where they will be questioned by detectives.
Police searching for a car they believe may be linked to 'deliberate' fire
Officers investigating the fire believe it was caused deliberately.
In November 2022, officers identified a white Audi that was seen between 3.10 – 3.20am on the day of the fire, which they believe is linked to the crime.
Detective Gavin Mulcahy said: “Our thoughts and condolences go out to George Redmond’s family who are devastated by this despicable crime. Our officers are absolutely determined to bring those responsible to justice.
"We believe that this white Audi car was driven near the property and then to Tesco’s in the Old Swan area, before heading towards Derby Lane in the direction of Queens Drive.
"I want to continue to appeal to anyone who lives in this area and may have any information about this car. This might range from knowing who was driving, seeing someone being picked up, or capturing further images or footage on CCTV, dashcam or doorbell devices.
“If you were in the area between 3am to 3.45am on Thursday 1 September and have not already spoken to police but saw something suspicious at the time please contact us.”
“If you haven’t already come forward, please contact us with anything you know to help us bring those responsible to justice for the family of George Redmond.”
Anyone with any information can also contact police via social media @MerPolCC or call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 22000649658.
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