Colchester flat fire death being treated as murder case Published duration 4 September 2016

image caption The cause of the fire in Rochdale Way, Colchester, has yet to be established

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 78-year-old man found trapped in his flat died in a fire.

The blaze was reported shortly after 01:00 and police were called to Rochdale Way, Colchester, by the fire service.

Police said a neighbour had twice tried to to get into the flat to rescue the man but was unsuccessful.

A 42-year-old woman has been arrested in Colchester and was being questioned by detectives.

image caption The 78-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene

Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings, leading the police investigation, said: "This tragic incident is now being treated as a murder inquiry.

"We are looking to establish the exact cause of the blaze and how it started.

"The victim and the suspect are known to each other."

image caption Investigators have started examining the scene

The cause of the fire has yet to be established.

The neighbour was treated for the effects of breathing in smoke.