Teenager Charged Over Four House Fire Deaths

Detectives investigating a house fire in which four young siblings died have charged a teenager with their murder.

Dyson Allen, 19, of no fixed address, will appear before Blackpool Magistrates Court later charged with four counts of murder.

A major investigation was launched after the fire in the Lancashire town of Freckleton earlier this year.

The four siblings - 19-year-old Reece Smith, four-year-old twin girls Holly and Ella Smith, and Jordan Smith, aged two - were taken to hospital but later died.

Post-mortem examinations showed that each victim died as a result of the effects of inhaling smoke.

Their mother, Michelle Smith, who has five other children, survived the January 7 blaze.

The fire took hold hours after the family held a party at the house to celebrate Ms Smith's 36th birthday.

It began inside a wardrobe in one of the upstairs attic bedrooms at the Lytham Road house just before 11.30pm.

Police said the victims were in two separate attic rooms at the property, which suffered limited fire damage but extensive smoke damage.

Allen was initially arrested in January and then bailed pending further inquiries to an address outside Lancashire. He was re-arrested on Wednesday.

Police are continuing to appeal for information about the fire and are urging anyone that could help them to call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.