A tragic incident unfolded as a 13-year-old girl lost her life in a fire that engulfed her bunk bed while she was asleep.
The victim, Layla Allen, a student in Year 8 at St Edmund Arrowsmith School in Whiston, perished in the blaze that erupted at her residence in Prescot on April 2 of the previous year.
Upon receiving the distress call around 11.40 pm, emergency responders rushed to the scene at Kingsway, Prescot, where they found Layla’s parents, Shaun Allen and Michelle McGurry, along with her five siblings outside the house. Despite their efforts, Layla remained trapped inside.
Firefighters managed to gain entry and discovered the young girl on the top bunk of her bed in the rear bedroom on the first floor. Unfortunately, she was already in a critical condition and was pronounced dead at the scene.
During the inquest, coroner Anita Bhardwaj highlighted that the inability to interview the other children in the house hindered the investigation progress. The family’s reluctance, supported by children’s social care, to have the children provide statements impeded the gathering of crucial evidence.
Merseyside Police confirmed that there was no evidence implicating any external party in the incident. The investigation conducted by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service pointed to the bunk bed as the likely ignition point of the fire, with the involvement of a possible naked flame.
The examination could not definitively pinpoint the fire’s cause but indicated a probable association with a live flame, such as a lighter. Traces of carbon monoxide found in Layla’s lungs confirmed the effects of the fire as the cause of her death.
The investigation revealed a previous fire incident at the same residence, attributed to a family member playing with a lighter. Despite efforts to offer safety interventions, the family declined assistance. The coroner emphasized the importance of involving fire services for guidance and safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The ongoing questions surrounding the incident led to an open conclusion, with the focus on the need for fire safety education and support within the family.