Police name victim of house fire (From Oxford Mail)

Police name victim of house fire

9:30am Monday 13th August 2012 in Abingdon

A WOMAN who died after being pulled from her burning home has been named as Intombizodwa Hove.

The 30-year-old, from Spey Road, Shippon, near Abingdon, who was known as Tombi, was pronounced dead at the John Radcliffe Hospital , Oxford on Friday.

She had been found in her home, a terraced house in a quiet cul-de-sac, when police and firefighters were called on Friday morning to a fire in an upstairs room.

Yesterday, flowers had been left outside her door and a cordon was still in place sealing off the close, with police officers standing guard at the scene.

Thames Valley Police are now treating the death as unexplained, after initially describing it as suspicious.

An initial post mortem examination by a Home Office pathologist on Saturday was described as “inconclusive” and more tests are being carried out.

Det Supt Rob Mason, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are working towards establishing the full circumstances behind this tragic death.”

The house is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but is not part of nearby Edward Brooks Barracks.

Ministry of Defence spokesman Chris Fletcher yesterday confirmed that Ms Hove was a member of the military, but would not comment on her role, her rank or her regiment and said Thames Valley Police was leading the investigation.

Neighbours in Spey Close told the Oxford Mail they had been told not to speak to the press by the Ministry of Defence.