Two found dead after fire in Geldermalsen home

Two people were found dead after a fire in a home on Emmalaan in Geldermalsen on Monday morning, the police said on Twitter. The police did not say whether the victims died in the fire, or released any information regarding their identity or age, but did start looking for witnesses and photo and video footage.

A local told Omroep Gelderland that a Russian woman and her 6-year-old son lived in the home. She wasn't sure whether the boy's father still lived with the family. Locals told Omroep Gelderland that the family lived in the house for around six years.

Emergency services responded to reports of the fire at around 6:30 a.m. The police reported the two victims about two hours later. Photos from the scene show the area around the home cordoned off and a mobile command center placed at the location. These command centers are dispatched to some crime scenes to help coordinate forensic evidence collection, witness canvassing, photo and video surveys of the area, and the processing of digital evidence collected. 

According to an Omroep Gelderland reporter at the scene, neighbors are visibly distraught by what happened. "There is a lot of commotion on the street. Local residents are in tears. There was a woman who fell emotionally to her knees. It is clear that the neighborhood is devastated," the reporter said to the broadcaster.

According to the broadcaster, several locals spoke about a domestic violence incident in which the woman and child died, and the man fled. The neighbors are shocked because they've known the man for years. The police have not confirmed any of this. 

Met schermen is aardig deel van het huizenblok aan de #Emmalaan in #Geldermalsen afgeschermd: er staat PD-unit van de politie en een commando-unit van de brandweer. pic.twitter.com/CjnIe6LqNS

— Joni van Essen (@JonivanEssen) May 9, 2022

Woningbrand aan de Emmalaan in Geldermalsen - https://t.co/c9E6bFicuW pic.twitter.com/w8foMipZwt

— Het Kontakt West Betuwe (@HK_WestBetuwe) May 9, 2022