Advertisement

Patients evacuated from 'suspicious' hospice fire

Patients have been evacuated from a hospice in St. Lenonards after a fire, which police are treating as suspicious

View all 9 updates ›

Officers want to question ill man, 67, over hospice fire

Police are waiting to question a man on suspicion of murder after a fire at a hospice in St Leonards.

The 67-year-old suspect is currently ill in hospital.

He was initially arrested for arson with intent to endanger life and then was arrested on two counts of suspicion of murder.

Another woman resident aged 78 also died on Saturday, but her death isn't thought to be connected to the blaze.

The arrested man is unable to be questioned currently due to his ill health. "This is a complicated investigation and further enquiries are being carried out to establish the cause of death of the residents. This is an extremely difficult time for the residents and staff of St Michael's Hospice and for the families of the residents who have sadly passed away."

– Mark Preston, Detective Chief Inspector of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team

More on this story