Police are not ruling out a possible link between a fatal house fire near Middlesbrough and a crash on the A66 less than two miles away that killed seven people.
Officers have launched a murder investigation after two people died in a blaze on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, on Wednesday morning.
The four other people who were in the house at the time were injured, including a woman who is said to be in a critical condition.
The blaze happened less two miles from the scene of a crash on Sunday between a VW Passat, which was heading in the wrong direction on the dual-carriageway, and a marked police armed response vehicle.
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the collision.
The five people in the Passat – Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – were pronounced dead at the scene at South Bank.
Cleveland Police are not ruling out a link between the two incidents, and said they “cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time”.
Officers were called to the fire just before 5.30am on Wednesday, with two people later confirmed dead.
A woman remains in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in a critical condition, and a further three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
They are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
Redcar and Cleveland Local Policing Commander, Superintendent Emily Harrison, said: “This is a tragic incident which has sadly resulted in the deaths of a number of people this morning, and their families are being supported by specially trained officers.
“We are working to establish the circumstances of exactly what has happened, but we are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time.
“We will have a high visibility presence in the Grangetown area as this investigation progresses, and to provide reassurance to local communities, who will no doubt be impacted by this tragic incident.
“We encourage anyone who has concerns, or who may have information regarding the incident in the early hours of this morning, to approach one of our officers or to contact Cleveland Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously.”
A 20-year-old neighbour described how local residents tried to rescue the occupants, and said she believed that a child was one of the casualties.
Ellie, who declined to give her surname, said: “The entire house was scorching.
“I couldn’t get near the front of the house, it was that hot.”
She described holding the hand of a crying woman who had jumped from an upstairs window, staying with her until paramedics arrived.
Cleveland Fire Brigade said that the fire had been extinguished on Wednesday afternoon.
Redcar and Cleveland borough councillor for Grangetown Adam Brook said the fire was “absolutely devastating”, but urged people not to speculate or “share unconfirmed information”.
He said: “Many residents have been in touch with me throughout the morning, and I know there is understandably a great deal of concern.
“However, I would urge people not to speculate or share unconfirmed information.”
Mr Brook added: “At this stage I don’t want to speculate or comment on any information that has not been officially confirmed while the emergency services continue their work.”
Firefighters were seen damping down the smoking roof of the home which has been wrecked by the fire.
A ladder remained propped against a rear upstairs window of the family home.
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “My daughter heard shouting and screaming this morning.
“The dogs were barking.”
The neighbour said a family lived at the house, adding: “I don’t know the people who live there, we just say hello when we walk past.”
Cleveland Police have arrested 17 people following the crash on Sunday.
The Passat had been pursued by police following an earlier incident in which a house in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough, linked to Worthy, was rammed by a vehicle.
The pursuit was aborted when the Passat went the wrong way down the A66.
Police have previously said the five young men in the Passat may have had links to “serious and organised criminal activity”.
Four of the five had criminal convictions and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties earlier that morning.
Cleveland Police has previously said that on the morning of the collision, it received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.
The first vehicle, believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo.
Police said both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were picked up by automated number plate recognition technology.
The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough.
Pc Blades and Pc Clough were not involved in the original pursuit but had been called to the area to assist with the search for the Passat.
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