Tributes to ‘sweet and beautiful’ girl, 6, killed in Leicester house fire

Tributes have been paid to a “very sweet” six-year-old girl who died in a house fire in Leicester.

She has been named locally as Chamiah Brindley, although Leicestershire Police are yet to confirm her identity.

Officers were called after a fire in Bedale Drive, Leicester, in the early hours of Tuesday morning and later confirmed that a person was found dead inside.

A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of arson and was then released on bail while inquiries continue, the force said.

Since then flowers, stuffed animals, cards and candles have been left outside the terraced house and tributes have been paid by local people.

“She was very sweet, very beautiful. I just think of her and I shed tears. That’s their little baby,” said one neighbour, who added: “She was very nice… she was so cute.”

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “We know the child, she is always playing around here.

“A child died here, that’s shocking. She’s a child, only six years old.”

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In a statement, Leicestershire Police confirmed other people within the property received hospital treatment after the fire as a precaution.

Forensic teams – wearing boiler suits and face masks – could be seen entering the terraced house on Wednesday.

From the street, fire damage was visible from a window in the roof space.

Detective Inspector Michael Chandler said: “This is an extremely tragic incident in which a person has sadly lost their life.

“Our investigation is at a very early stage and we are keeping an open mind as to what caused the fire.”

Bedale Drive is in a largely residential area, a few miles north of the city centre.