Bedford's Redwood Grove: Bomb didn't start fire, say police

Police have confirmed there is no evidence to suggest a bomb was behind the explosion at Bedford’s Redwood Grove.

Rumours continue to grow behind the cause of the fire on July 4, which cost the life of one woman, Reena James.

But in a post on social media, police said: “While we still have to be open-minded about what happened, we would like to reassure people that there is no evidence to suggest it was caused by a bomb or explosive device. No arrests have been made.

"Specialist counter-terrorism officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit have carried out an initial assessment and established there is no indication to suggest the matter is terrorist related.

"Following an incident of this scale it is natural that people will wish to speculate, but we would kindly ask that you refrain from doing so as sharing misinformation can cause further concern.

“As soon as we have any more information in relation to our investigation, we will of course let everyone know.”

Emergency services are still carrying out their work at the site – and last Thursday, more than 100 residents attended a community meeting to get more info.

The police added: “The scene is incredibly complex and it remains difficult to physically get investigators into the building. This means our investigation is still likely to take many more weeks.

“Again, a big thank you to everyone for your ongoing patience and understanding."

If anyone does have any information which can help the police, report it online or call 0800 051 6085.