FIRE chiefs and police are continuing their investigations into a blaze which claimed the lives of a girl of three and her eight-year-old brother.

Louisa and Jason Jarvis were trapped in a first floor bedroom when the fire broke out at a farmhouse at Lower Chitty Farm, Chislet, near Herne Bay, in the early hours on Wednesday morning.

Their 27-year-old mother Tracey Jarvis, and her seven-month-old baby Lucy, escaped. They were taken to Kent and Canterbury Hospital to be checked and have now been released. They are currently staying with close family members.

The flames tore through the isolated three-bedroom cottage and left it a burnt-out shell. Smoke was billowing out of the building for several hours.

Detective Chief Insp Lee Russell said: “Kent Police and fire officers are looking at the cause of this fire which at this time is being treated as a tragic unexplained incident.

"The investigation into this will be in-depth and thorough but will be a long and slow process.”

He stressed: "The baby and mother are safe and well. Our thoughts are with them.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry said: “This was a harrowing incident for everyone concerned and we are extremely sad that two young children have been lost to fire.

"Our sympathies are with the family, neighbours and everyone who will have been affected.

"We are working extremely hard to prevent tragedies like this occurring and this type of incident will make us even more determined to devote resources to fire prevention.”

Firefighter Sean Bone-Knell, the group manager at the Canterbury station, said the house had not been fitted with a smoke alarm.

“This really bring home the danger of home fires and should make people think about getting an alarm fitted,” he said. “I must also praise the firefighters for working in some extremely difficult conditions.”

Neighbour Viv Thompson, 55, said the mother and the three children had moved into the isolated farmhouse about a year ago.

“I used to see them about and they were a nice family and the kids were great, but did not mix much with the other people round here,” Mr Thompson said.