House fire in Bradford – News: Investigation into Westbury Road murder begins, mother and her three children identified

People have started laying flowers at the police cordon.

A message with a bouquet read: “I love you all, the whole world and more. I will miss you forever. I miss you, my beautiful angels.”

About 100m of Westbury Road remains cordoned off around the three-bedroom semi-detached house and several police vehicles are still parked in the street.

Previously, forensic officers in white protective clothing were seen entering and leaving the property.

A neighbor said: “I heard the sirens and looked out my window.

“I could see the flames coming out of the front door.”

She said neighbors ran to the house and smashed the windows to get in.

“It was locals trying to help,” she said.

“It was crazy. I saw so many ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles on the street.

“We were all standing closer, but the police sent us back to expand the crime scene.”

Police have identified the four fire victims as 29-year-old Bryonie Gawith and her children Denisty (9), Oscar (5) and Aubree Birtle (22 months).

A woman who lives nearby described how shocked local people were about the fire in this normally quiet area.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: “This is a huge shock for the street. Normally it is a quiet street.

“I knew the family and saw them walking past. They are all victims. It's not a nice thing to see.”

“I don’t know how to explain to my children what happened.”

A neighbor said the sky lit up as the fire blazed and screams and yells could be heard.

Lindsey Pearson, who lives around the corner from the house, said: “I kept seeing blue flashing lights and thought, 'something is wrong.'”

Ms Pearson said her daughter and son-in-law, who live with her, said they smelled smoke in their room.

She said: “We looked out the window and just saw a big flame. The sky was lit up. It was like thunder and lightning.”

Ms Pearson, who has lived in the area for 14 years, said: “We thought it was the care home at the end of the road because we work there and we thought, 'We have to go there, we have to go there.'”

Mrs Pearson said she left the house with her son-in-law and was met by police.

“They said there were people inside, it was a house fire. And they wouldn't let us through, which is understandable, but we just wanted to help.

“It's absolutely awful. Everyone was so upset.”

Mrs Pearson said her daughter heard screaming and shouting coming from the direction of the house.

Police have cordoned off the area around the house while investigations into the incident are ongoing:

Investigators are asking witnesses to describe what they saw after a fire in Bradford that killed three children and a 29-year-old woman.

Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson said: “We are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident or who has CCTV or doorbell footage to come forward.”