A BOY has died in a fire, as 14 children are arrested over his death in an “extremely tragic incident”.
Layton Carr, 14, was discovered dead inside the industrial park building in Gateshead, Co Durham, on Friday night.
Those arrested include 11 boys and three girls, all between 11 and 14 years old.
Fire brigades tackled the blaze at Fairfield Industrial Park for around two hours, after declaring a major incident.
Detective Chief Inspector Louise Jenkins, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is an extremely tragic incident where a boy has sadly lost his life.
“Our thoughts are with Layton’s family as they begin to attempt to process the loss of their loved one.
“Our specialist officers will continue to support them in whatever way they can.
“We ask that their privacy be respected at this time.”
Detective Chief Insp Jenkins added: “A cordon remains in place while we carry out enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“I’d like to thank our officers and partners at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts through the night.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Northumbria Police by direct message on social media, live chat, or by filing a report form on the force’s website.
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