An entire family died after a powerful house fire in Svelvik on Monday night. The father of the family is now charged with murder and arson.
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– The preliminary reports from the autopsy indicate that the mother and the two children were killed before the fire started. The case is therefore now being investigated as murder and arson, says police inspector Odd Skei Kostveit in a press release on Friday morning.
The family of two adults and two children aged 10 and 12 died after the violent fire.
The deceased family father is now charged with murder and arson.
It was at 02.21 on Monday night that the first the message about the fire reached the emergency services. The house was on fire when the fire brigade arrived at the scene. They tried in vain to put out the powerful fire, but had to find out just after 5 o’clock that the house was completely burnt down.
The deceased have now been formally identified.
– Several hypotheses have been worked on, and the investigation has sought to clarify all of these, says Kostveit.
–For the sake of further investigation, the police do not have the opportunity to provide further details about findings at the scene or other investigations that have been carried out.
– This tragic case has affected a small community. When the investigation now also points in the direction that one of the deceased has been responsible for the action, it hits relatives, friends and colleagues extra hard. We hope that on our way into the Christmas holidays we can act with respect for those who are now facing a difficult time, says police station chief at Drammen police station Øyvind Aas.
The fire service: – We are in shock and grief
The family father accused of murder was employed as a fire constable in the Drammen region’s fire service.
In a press release on Friday morning, communications manager Kristin Grydeland writes:
– We are in shock and grief, and ask for understanding of our situation at the moment. We need peace to process this tragedy. Emergency preparedness in the Drammen region is maintained as normal.
She says that their thoughts go to the relatives and the local community.
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