AN investigation was continuing last night into the cause of a fire which claimed the lives of a mother and her three-year-old daughter.

The victims, who have not yet been formally identified, are believed to have been living with members of a peace collective at the house in Kingsway Drive Acomb, on the edge of York.

There were unconfirmed reports that a large number of candles were burning inside the house shortly before the blaze in the early hours of Saturday.

Five appliances from Acomb, York and Selby were at the scene within minutes of the first emergency call at 2.57am, and battled for an hour to bring the fire under control.

However, they were unable to save the mother, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Her daughter died on the way to hospital.

A man is also fighting for his life in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after suffering severe burns. It is believed he also severed an artery when jumping through a first-floor window to safety.

An emergency services spokesman said that another man inside the house was taken to York District Hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, while three neighbours, including a young child, were treated at the scene by paramedics.

"The crews worked exceptionally well and hard under quite harrowing conditions," said paramedic Dave Butterfield.

Trevor Lund, assistant divisional officer of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said he understood that candles were alight in the lounge just before the fire started. Its cause is not being treated as suspicious.

Peace collective member Denis Pryce said the dead woman had joined squatters at the so-called Rainbow Peace Hotel, in the White Swan Hotel, York, earlier this year, but had not followed them to The Gimcrack pub when they were evicted.

"We are going to miss her a lot," he said. "She was a big part of the collective. It is really sad."

This is the second tragedy for the group in recent months. At the end of May, member Lara Saunders died after falling from a window the day after the group was evicted from the Rainbow Peace Hotel.