TWO people remain unaccounted for following a blaze in which one other person has died.
Police said that they are not expecting any more survivors to be found.
The incident took place at a block of flats in Rowe Court, off Grovelands Road at 2.56am on Wednesday, December 15.
Police have arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of arson and murder, and he remains in police custody.
Supt Steve Raffield from Thames Valley Police warned that the building is in an unstable condition, and it is a complex operation to make it safe.
“We have been working alongside our partner agencies to do everything we can to find signs of life. Sadly, it is highly unlikely we will find any further survivors in the building,” he said.
Officers remain at the scene overnight and are expected to be there for some time.
Tomorrow, the force will start to assess the structural damage to the building.
In a statement released this evening, the force said: “This will be a complex operation which we expect to take some time. During this, we will work to recover any of those people who were inside the building.”
The statement added: “We would like to thank everyone who has helped today with this extremely challenging operation, including all the work done by partner agencies and volunteers.
“We’d also like to thank the people of Reading and beyond for their continued co-operation, patience and support at what has been an incredibly difficult time.”
A special helpline has been set up to help families and friends of those affected by the fire.
Thames Valley Police said: “If you have any concerns about loved ones, please report them online at Public Portal (mipp.police.uk) or by calling the Casualty Bureau on 0800 051 6079 or 020 7126 7641 from outside the UK.”
