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Prestatyn fire: Death blaze 'started deliberately' | Prestatyn fire: Death blaze 'started deliberately' |
(35 minutes later) | |
A fire which killed five family members was started deliberately by someone holding a flame against a child's pushchair, Mold Crown court has heard. | |
Lee-Anna Shiers, 20, her partner Liam Timbrell, 23, their 15-month-old son Charlie, and two of his cousins died in the blaze in Prestatyn, Denbighshire. | Lee-Anna Shiers, 20, her partner Liam Timbrell, 23, their 15-month-old son Charlie, and two of his cousins died in the blaze in Prestatyn, Denbighshire. |
Fire expert Stephen Andrews said there was no evidence of an electrical fault or abnormal power supply at the flats. | |
Melanie Smith, 42, who lived in the flat below Ms Shiers, denies murder. | Melanie Smith, 42, who lived in the flat below Ms Shiers, denies murder. |
Ms Smith also denies a charge of making a threat to burn down the home of an alleged love rival, Samantha Schofield, on an earlier occasion. | Ms Smith also denies a charge of making a threat to burn down the home of an alleged love rival, Samantha Schofield, on an earlier occasion. |
The court was told the victims would not have been able to escape the first-floor flat without breaking the windows because they had no bottom openings. | The court was told the victims would not have been able to escape the first-floor flat without breaking the windows because they had no bottom openings. |
This would have been very difficult, said forensic fire investigation consultant Stephen Andrews. | This would have been very difficult, said forensic fire investigation consultant Stephen Andrews. |
He said that following extensive examination he believed the fire was started by a naked flame being held against the pushchair or its contents in the communal hall on the ground floor. | |
The blaze on 19 October last year spread and trapped the occupants above. | |
Fire tests involving the same kind of child's pushchair, blankets and baby wipes were carried out at a fire station, a video recording of which was played to the jury. | Fire tests involving the same kind of child's pushchair, blankets and baby wipes were carried out at a fire station, a video recording of which was played to the jury. |
Mr Andrews ruled out the possibility the fire could have started by flammable material being poured through the letter box or by a carelessly discarded cigarette. | Mr Andrews ruled out the possibility the fire could have started by flammable material being poured through the letter box or by a carelessly discarded cigarette. |
He added: "My opinion is that this fire was started intentionally." | |
Escape attempt | |
Mr Andrews also told the court that Mr Timbrell appeared to have attempted to break windows at the flat using a vacuum cleaner but was unsuccessful. | Mr Andrews also told the court that Mr Timbrell appeared to have attempted to break windows at the flat using a vacuum cleaner but was unsuccessful. |
"You would be unable to escape from this flat without breaking a double glazed unit," he told the jury. | "You would be unable to escape from this flat without breaking a double glazed unit," he told the jury. |
But this was "very difficult", he said. | But this was "very difficult", he said. |
The court heard there was no evidence of anyone smoking indoors but smoking materials, including rolling tobacco, were found in Ms Shiers's handbag. | The court heard there was no evidence of anyone smoking indoors but smoking materials, including rolling tobacco, were found in Ms Shiers's handbag. |
A television on a cabinet had melted which gave an indication of the kind of temperatures in the room, said Mr Andrews. | A television on a cabinet had melted which gave an indication of the kind of temperatures in the room, said Mr Andrews. |
The plastic casings would melt at 170C to 200C, and the television was a metre off the ground. | The plastic casings would melt at 170C to 200C, and the television was a metre off the ground. |
"It is a pretty horrible scene," he said. | "It is a pretty horrible scene," he said. |
Cross-examined by Stephen Riorden QC, defending, Mr Andrews confirmed there were no fire doors at the property and no fire escape. | |
Most of the rooms in the upstairs flat did not have any doors so there was nothing to stop the fire from spreading, the court was told. | |
Mr Riorden asked the witness if he could agree with the proposition that the fire could have been caused by a carelessly discarded match. | |
Mr Andrews said: "Yes, that is possible." | |
Mr Riorden said that if a match had been used then it would have been completely destroyed in the fire. | |
Mr Andrews said: "Almost certainly." | |
Cross-examined on the issue by Ian Murphy QC, prosecuting, Mr Andrews confirmed that was a possibility, but more often than not a match would extinguish in flight. | |
A disposable cigarette lighter found in the hall was a possible source of the fire but Mr Andrews could not say it was the source of ignition. | |
Died in hospital | |
It was also possible it could have been in the pushchair because Ms Shiers was a smoker. | |
Michael Hough, a senior investigator with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said he was part of a team working with Mr Andrews and his conclusions were the same. | |
The court has heard previously how neighbours desperately attempted to rescue the trapped family but were driven back by the blaze. | The court has heard previously how neighbours desperately attempted to rescue the trapped family but were driven back by the blaze. |
Firefighters managed to rescue Ms Shiers' son Charlie and his father, Mr Timbrell, but they died in hospital. | |
It has been claimed that Ms Smith started the fire in a row over a pushchair being left in the shared hallway. |