St Leonards hospice 'arson death' suspect in hospital

Emergency services were called to the fire in the early hours of Saturday

A man arrested on suspicion of two murders after a suspected arson attack at a hospice is ill in hospital.

Sussex Police said officers were waiting to question the man after the fire at St Michael's Hospice in St Leonards on Saturday.

Three people died. One death is thought not to be linked to the blaze but the two other people were being treated for the effects of breathing smoke.

Police said inquiries were continuing to find the cause of the deaths.

The two people who died in hospital were a 62-year-old woman and an 81-year-old man. The death of a 78-year-old woman is believed not to be connected to the fire.

Officers arrested the 67-year-old man first on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and later on suspicion of two counts of murder.

Det Ch Insp Mark Preston said: "The arrested man is unable to be questioned currently due to his ill health.

"This is a complicated investigation and further enquiries are being carried out to establish the cause of death of the residents."

Twenty three residents, some terminally ill, were moved elsewhere

Earlier, the hospice issued an urgent appeal for items to help with the care of 23 residents, some terminally ill, who were evacuated from the hospice.

The hospice has already had to buy 10 £1,300 syringe drivers, which are used to provide palliative care and keep patients as comfortable as possible.

Hospice chief executive Celia Pyke-Lees said staff moved all the patients safely, but now they were scattered across five sites, still receiving round-the-clock care from hospice workers.

She said the hospice had seen a heart-warming response to its social media campaign for a list of items needed, which included toiletries, towels, lap trays, magazines, puzzle books, wheat bags, men's pyjamas and ladies' nighties.