Accused ‘repeatedly made threats’
It was claimed that Melanie Smith, 42, was drinking heavily on the day leading up to the fire and was heard shouting through Ms Shiers letterbox “I’m going to burn your house down”.
Smith and neighbour Lee-Anna Shiers argued for up to two months before the blaze, the court was told.
The row is said to have intensified over a pram which was left in a walkway outside their flat. Smith is accused of killing the family of five by setting the pram alight.
Ms Shiers, 20, her four-year-old nephew Bailey and two-year-old niece Skye died in the blaze at their home in North Wales.
Firefighters managed to rescue Ms Shiers’ 15-month-old son Charlie and his father, Liam Timbrell, 23, from their first-floor flat but they both died in hospital.
Smith, 42, who lived in the flat below the victims in Maes y Groes, Prestatyn, has gone on trial at Mold Crown Court accused of murdering them.
The court was played a harrowing 999 call in which Mr Timbrell shouted: “Oh my god, oh my god, we’re going to die.”
The jury was told that Mr Timbrell later told rescuing paramedics that “it was arson” and “it was Mel from downstairs”.
Smith denies the five murder charges and also one count of making a threat to destroy or damage property.
A5 closes after lorry catches fire
The drama unfolded shortly before noon yesterday when a blaze engulfed a lorry on the Woodcote Island, near Shrewsbury.
The A5 was closed in both directions for several hours as 20 firefighters and a fire officer from Shrewsbury tackled the blaze.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue said it had taken three crews and other units about two and a half hours to deal with.
One eyewitness said: “The lorry cab was completely gutted and firefighters also had to douse a hedge with water to put out the flames.
There were also heavy delays southbound.
The road was fully reopened by 8pm after the burnt out lorry had been removed.
House fire kills toddler and his teenage brother and sister
Fire tore through a house in Devon and a boy of three and his teenage brother and sister died.
A man, believed to be their father, raced back into the burning house to try to rescue the children. The man was treated for injuries and released along with another child. The dead teenagers, a 17-year-old girl and her 18-year-old brother, and the three-year-old boy were among eight people in the terraced house in Honiton, Devon, when the fire broke out on Friday.
Air ambulance flew them to Exeter hospital where they died with family at their bedside. The boy died in a Bristol burns unit several hours later.
Seven people in the house were from one family and the eighth was a friend staying over. The house is near the town’s fire station but area commander Nick Manning said the blaze was “well developed” when firefighters arrived minutes after the alarm was raised at 7.30am.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: “Our thoughts are with the family at this time and investigations are ongoing.”
Southwark museum and library blaze tackled by fire crews
Last week a fire broke out in a building in Southwark which houses a library, a museum and the council “one stop shop”.
The blaze in the four-storey building in Wansey Street, Walworth was tackled by almost 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines, with the roof of the library and museum on fire..
30 people were evacuated from inside the building, which houses Newington Library and no injuries have been reported.
Councillor Peter John, leader of the council, said: “It is too early to say what the cause of the fire is and how long services from that building will be suspended for.
“Whilst our first concern is for the safety of residents and our staff, we are also worried about possible damage to the museum’s collection.”
It is not known how the blaze started, the fire brigade said.
Image courtesy of BBC News
Major fire at Glasgow Steiner School in Yorkhill
A major fire at an independent school in the west end of Glasgow broke out last week and up to 60 children were led to safety.
55 firefighters and 10 appliances were deployed to prevent the fire spreading and Incident Commander, ACO Lewis Ramsay said: “The initial crews have worked tirelessly to tackle the blaze and operations are ongoing to contain the fire.
“Members of the local community can be assured that fire crews will continue to work relentlessly until this incident is brought to a safe conclusion.
“An effective multi-agency approach with police and the local authority is ongoing to manage the incident and reassure local residents.”
Following the evacuation, pupils were taken to a local community centre. No-one is thought to have been injured.
A joint investigation by Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and Strathclyde Police will determine the cause of the blaze that is not yet known.