A 13-year-old schoolgirl tragically lost her life after a fire engulfed her bunk bed while she slept, a coroner's court has heard. Layla Allen was found dead at her family home in Prescot, Merseyside, on the night of 2 April 2025.
An Unexplained Tragedy and a Previous Fire
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service investigator Ruth Baller-Wilson told the inquest that the evidence suggested Layla was asleep when the fire started. She made no attempt to escape the blaze on the top bunk. Investigators believe the most probable cause was a live flame, such as a lighter, being used to set her bedding alight. An open window near the bed provided oxygen, allowing the fire to develop rapidly.
Shockingly, the hearing was told this was the second fire at the family's home in less than a year. Six months earlier, another fire, also believed to have been started with a lighter by a family member, caused considerable damage in a front bedroom. Following that incident, fire services offered the family a referral to a safety education programme, but this was declined by Layla's mother.
An Open Verdict and Hindered Investigation
Coroner Anita Bhardwaj recorded an open verdict, stating that police could not rule anything out. A significant obstacle was that Layla's parents, supported by children's social care, refused to allow her five siblings to be interviewed by police. Ms Bhardwaj said this "prevented evidence being gathered" as the children would have had to relive the traumatic incident.
The coroner expressed deep concern about the two fires happening in such a short time. She urged the family to accept any help available to educate them and the children on fire safety, stressing the vital importance of fire service guidance to prevent further tragedy.
Key Details from the Inquest
Ruth Baller-Wilson provided a detailed analysis of the scene. She stated that Layla was a fit and healthy teenager who was not trapped. There was no apparent reason why she could not have escaped, even from a burning bunk bed, leading to the conclusion she was asleep. The investigator reiterated that if Layla had started the fire herself, she would likely have tried to get away.
The sequence of events remains unclear, but the physical evidence points firmly to the bunk bed as the origin. With the family's other children not interviewed, the full circumstances may never be known. The coroner noted she was glad social services were now involved with the family.
