A woman and an eight-year-old girl have died following a house fire in Huddersfield early Wednesday morning. West Yorkshire Police are treating the incident as “suspicious.”
Locals have identified the woman as 31-year-old Danielle Parkinson. Paramedics transported her to the hospital after responding to the blaze, but she succumbed to her injuries there.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed the child’s death, stating: “Police investigating a house fire in Huddersfield can now confirm that a child has also died. The eight-year-old girl died in hospital earlier today.”
Jen Mortimer, a local resident, described Danielle as a “private” individual. She recalled seeing Danielle’s children playing in the nearby playground occasionally. “I just hope the girls survive,” Jen remarked.
A 10-year-old girl remains critically injured in the hospital. Firefighters from four stations responded to the scene on Leeds Road around 2:18am. Neighbours are in shock after the suspected arson, with forensic teams continuing their investigation.
West Yorkshire Police stated: “Investigations into the fire are in their early stages. We are currently treating it as suspicious. However, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.”
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team expressed condolences: “Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this tragic incident. Specially trained officers are supporting the family.”
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, witnessed emergency services providing CPR to a woman after arriving at the scene around 2:30am. “I heard a bang and saw a fire in the distance. My instinct was to see if I could help,” the neighbour said.
Upon arrival, the neighbour saw police, paramedics, and the fire brigade already on site. “We saw them pulling everyone out of the house. They were lifeless. They performed CPR on everyone and put the kids into the ambulance, but we couldn’t see them moving.”
The neighbour also mentioned hearing one of the children crying while CPR was being administered to the mother. “They moved the cordon back, so I couldn’t see much after that. This morning, I learned all three had a pulse when they left the site, but the mother has since passed away.”
This is a developing story.