Toddler dies after house blaze

Oct 21 2012

A toddler has become the fourth victim of a house fire which killed his mother and two young cousins.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said 15-month-old Charlie Timbrell died at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

His mother Lee-Anna Shiers, 20, was killed after the blaze broke out in Prestatyn, North Wales, while her nephew Bailey Allen, four, and niece Skye Allen, two, also perished.

Firefighters managed to rescue Charlie and his father Liam Timbrell, 23, from their first floor flat in Maes Y Groes when it was engulfed in flames on Friday night.

Mr Timbrell, who remains in a critical but stable condition, was transferred to Whiston Hospital, Merseyside, while Charlie was moved to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

North Wales Police on Saturday arrested two neighbours - ground floor tenants, a man, aged 45, and a woman, aged 42, on suspicion of murder.

Miss Shiers' friend Chloe Hopkins, 20, described her as a "devoted mum" to Charlie. She told The Sun: "I'm just devastated. She was the kindest person - she would do anything for anyone. I can't think of anyone who would want to do this to her."

Detective Superintendent John Chapman said: "My heart goes out to the family and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

"We are deploying family liaison officers to work closely with the next of kin at this difficult time. There is a team of dedicated officers working on specific lines of inquiry in relation to this incident."

He appealed for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious at the time to contact police on 101.