Police name man and daughter killed in house fire

A father and his nine-year-old daughter who died in a house fire in West Yorkshire have been named by police as Sohaib Ahmed, 38, and Manahal Ahmed.

Both died following a blaze at a property in Russell Close, Heckmondwike, on Sunday.

West Yorkshire Police said Mr Ahmed's 11-year-old daughter, who was seriously injured in the fire, remained in hospital, where her condition was described as "critical but stable".

A force spokesperson said an investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing.

Speaking on Monday, Kirklees councillor Ali Arshad said the girl's mother had been out of the country when the fire broke out while a third child, a boy, had been staying with his grandparents.

Neighbours said the family was well-known in the area and paid tribute to Mr Ahmed.

Mohammad Rizwan Yasin said he had known MrAhmed for a long time and described him as a "very nice, family man".

Meanwhile, Darren O'Donovan, chairman of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and a councillor for Dewsbury West, said it was thought the blaze could have been started by a tumble dryer.

He said: "Initial investigations suggest the fire may have started in the kitchen area and its possible source could have been the tumble dryer, but that's still under investigation.

"That's the tragedy: this was just a local family on a very regular street in Heckmondwike and a tragic accident has taken place."

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