Five teenagers have been arrested after a house fire in Devon left one person dead.
Four boys and a girl, all aged under 18, have been detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the blaze in Bideford.
The five, who are all from north Devon, remain in custody.
Police began a murder investigation following reports of the fire at a terraced house in Honestone Street on Tuesday evening.
A man remains unaccounted for and his next-of-kin have been told.
A man in his 30s, from Bideford, who was previously arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, has been released on bail.
Devon and Cornwall Police said a scene guard remains in place outside the house, and some residents have not yet been able to return to their homes.
Detective Inspector Chris Lithgow, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are treating this as a murder investigation, as murder is one of several hypotheses currently being investigated by our officers.
“We are working with the local authority to support the displaced residents and hope to enable them to return to their homes as soon as it is safe to do so.
“This is a challenging investigation and we are working tirelessly to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire.”
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He added: “There will continue to be a heightened police presence in the area and anybody with concerns or information is asked to approach our officers.”
