At about 2045h last night, police ranks responded to a report made by a twelve-year-old girl at the Port Kaituma Station that her father and mother were involved in an argument and he had threatened to burn down their house at Main Road, Port Kaituma, NWD.
On their way to the scene the police say they observed that the building was on fire and suspecting that persons were inside attempted to enter the building, but was prevented from doing so by a locked grill door.
The police ranks and nearby residents formed a bucket brigade but were unable to extinguish the blaze.
The charred remains of housewife Lurlene La Cruz, 39 years; her daughters Lea La Cruz, 14 years, and Lavette La Cruz, 3 years; and sons Labron La Cruz, 8 years, and Levon La Cruz, 1 year, were later found among the debris, police said.
Businessman Linus La Cruz, 50 years, has been arrested. He sustained burns to his body and is under guard at the Port Kaituma Hospital.
Investigations are in progress. It was reported that Linus La Cruz set the house afire after an argument.
