Second body discovered at site of Batley building fire as investigation continues

A second body has been discovered at the site of a major building fire in Batley.

Fire service personnel and police investigating a building fire in Batley last week have now found a second body at the site.

Detailed enquires remain ongoing by specialist police and fire service investigators following the fire at a building on the corner of Warwick Road and Mount Street in the early hours of Saturday, August 15.

Those investigations resulted in the discovery of a body in the rubble of the building on Wednesday, with another body sadly found on Friday evening.

Detective Inspector Tom Hilyer of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Our investigation into this tragic incident remains ongoing and I can confirm additional human remains have been found at the location today.

“Work remains ongoing to identify the person sadly found deceased at the scene on Wednesday, and we will of course be conducting all possible enquires to also identify the second person we have found.

“This has been and remains a complex investigation and I want to reassure residents that all necessary resources are being utilised to determine the full circumstances of what occurred.”

The cause of the fire itself remains under investigation and the second body found has been recovered. Both bodies will be subject to a post mortem in due course.

West Yorkshire Police continue to urge anyone who may have witnessed anything unusual, has information about the incident or location, or possesses CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage from the area, to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 101 or online via the 101LiveChat, quoting reference 13260464916. Alternatively, submit any information or footage to the MIPP portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/13XM020126K87-PO1.

Information can also be provided to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.