1 of 3Photo: Paul S. Amundsen / VG
ASKØY (VG) On Sunday, the autopsy was performed. Police now confirm that the two who were found are the woman and the man who were missing. Tuesday afternoon, Kripos is at the scene.
Of
Paul Sigve Amundsen (photo)
–
and
—
–
– The dead have been autopsied and the police can confirm that it is the missing who have been found dead. There is a woman in her forties and a man in his thirties. Relatives have been informed, says police attorney Are Nygård Bergh to VG.
The police know the cause of death, but tell VG that it is too early to go out with.
Nygård Bergh also does not want to comment on whether the death occurred before or after the fire occurred.
It was Friday morning that two people died in a fire in a semi-detached house on Floravåg. A man in his 40s is accused of having started the fire. He has been remanded in custody for two weeks and denies guilt.
West police district receives assistance from Kripos in the investigation. Police attorney Are Nygård Bergh calls the case serious and demanding. Around 30 witnesses have been questioned.
On Tuesday afternoon, Kripos arrived at the scene to conduct technical investigations. They also bring dogs to assist. So far, two of them have been inside the fire-damaged home.
Working to find the cause of the fire
The accused and the woman who is missing after the fire are said to have had a long-term relationship until last autumn. The woman and the man who are missing, must have just become boyfriends.
Police attorney Nygård Bergh confirmed on Tuesday to VG that the accused is the woman’s ex.
He says it is too early to comment on a possible motive in the case.
The police attorney said on Tuesday that Kripos will today continue to conduct forensic investigations on the fire site.
– As part of the investigation, we are trying to find the cause of the fire. Then you will do research to find flammable liquid. I do not think that has been done yet. On a fire site, there are a number of safety considerations that must be taken into account, says Nygård Bergh.
Reason for suspicion
– Do you have an idea of what happened in the house before the fire broke out?
– That is what the investigation will clarify. What happened in the house, what caused the fire, is something criminal. I can not comment on this in detail. We are early in the investigation of a very serious case, the police attorney answers.
– What makes you suspect that the fire has been started?
– There is information that you have in the case without me being able to go into detail about it now. At the same time, there was a very strong fire development here. There can be many reasons, one may be that it is attached.
The police attorney says that their most central hypothesis is that the accused has started the fire. However, he adds that they also have other hypotheses that nothing criminal has happened.
He does not want to comment on whether the suspicion against the accused has been strengthened or weakened.
– We note that there is good reason to suspect, he adds.
He says that the police’s focus now is to check the accused in or out of the case.
– Have the findings from the autopsy report influenced any of the hypotheses in the case so far?
– No. We are still early in the investigation of a fire case with two dead. The hypotheses are similar.
Nygård Berg says that in the coming days they will continue the investigation with full force.
– The case has a high priority.
–