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. Layla Allen, a Year 8 student at St Edmund Arrowsmith School in Whiston, perished in the flames at her home in Prescot on April 2 last year.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene on Kingsway, Prescot, around 11.40 pm, finding Layla’s parents, Shaun Allen and Michelle McGurry, and her five siblings outside the house. Despite efforts to rescue her, Layla was discovered trapped in her bedroom on the top bunk bed, where she was pronounced dead due to the severity of her injuries.
During the inquest, coroner Anita Bhardwaj highlighted the challenges faced by the police in gathering evidence from the children present at the scene. The family’s reluctance, supported by children’s social care, to subject the children to interviews hindered the investigation process.
Merseyside Police confirmed that no external parties were involved in the tragic incident. The fire investigation officer, Ruth Baller-Wilson, revealed that the fire likely originated on the bunk bed, with indications pointing to a possible ignition caused by a flame source like a lighter found at the site.
Despite efforts to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, the investigation could not definitively pinpoint the source. However, the presence of carbon monoxide in Layla’s lungs from the fire indicated the cause of death as the fire’s effects.
The incident occurred just months after another fire at the same residence, attributed to a family member’s use of a lighter. Fire services offered safety assessments and education programs, which were declined by the family. The coroner urged the family to seek assistance from the fire service to prevent future tragedies.
In conclusion, the circumstances surrounding Layla’s death remained unclear, with unanswered questions about the events leading to the fire. The importance of fire safety education and support for the family, especially the children, was emphasized to prevent similar incidents in the future.