A CORONER has praised the people of Hulland Ward who risked their own lives as they attempted to save four children who died in a house fire in January.
During a two-day inquest in Derby that examined the deaths of Tommy Ralph Everton, nine, Alisha Kitten Henson-Nulty, six, Rocco Tommy Henson-Nulty, four, and Appolonia Henson, two, neighbours described their desperate battle to gain access to mother Rachel Henson's blazing home after a stray ember from a damp log started a devastating fire.
Giving evidence at the hearing, Philip Rowbottom said he was the first of Miss Henson's neighbours to respond to the tragedy that was unfolding in Highfield Road.
He told Coroner Dr Robert Hunter his wife was letting out their dog shortly after 11pm while he was sat in the kitchen watching television. She told him she heard shouting and asked him to turn the television down. He said: "She told me to come quick. We could hear breaking glass and we looked out to see Rachel's house was on fire. "There were flames and sparks coming out of the chimney and there was a bit of smoke coming out from under the roof." As Mr Rowbottom approached the house he described the scene as being "deadly quiet" and when he shouted Miss Henson's name, she shouted back and then emerged, covered in soot, her hair singed, and wearing white pyjamas, from the side entrance to the back garden.
He continued: "She was very distressed, screaming at me that her kids were in there 'get them out Phil'. Mr Rowbottom peered through the front door but could only see a small part of the hall, due to the thick black smoke. As more neighbours joined in the attempted rescue, Mr Rowbottom tried to use a garden hose to fight the flames, but it was futile.
Meanwhile Miss Henson, who by now was sitting at the side of Highfield Road, staring at the street, was being looked after by friends who had dashed out of their homes to give her blankets and support.
She had been sat with her back to the house, which was surrounded by neighbours all trying in vain to access the property and rescue the four children.
Anna Murphy, who lives a few doors away from the family, was alerted by the sound of screaming and dashed out in bare feet and brought a blanket to Miss Henson - who by now was in an apparent state of shock and failing to respond to frantic questioning about the wherabouts of her children.
The National Trust warden also described the scene as "very quiet" and told the court how she had tried to force open the bathroom window after being given a leg-up onto an adjoining lean-to.
She said: "I tried to see if we could get into the bathroom window so we got a ladder and smashed the window but all we got was thick black smoke.
"I put my hand in the window to try and unlock it but I only got it open so far so I tried to pull it off its hinges but it was just too hot, I couldn't get in." Dr Hunter praised the people who had tried to get into the house. He said: "It is something quite lacking in society, this quality of citizenship. "All those who attempted to help put their own lives at risk and this is something that should not go amiss." Once fire crews had arrived and began work on the scene, Miss Henson's immediate neighbour, Sharon Burrows, brought the 45-year-old into her house where she asked if anyone had a cigarette and appeared unsteady on her feet. Miss Murphy told Dr Hunter she could smell wine on Miss Henson, who later admitted she had downed around a bottle and a half of rose she had bought in Bargain Booze before leaving her barbers' shop in Church Street.
The inquest failed to conclude how Miss Henson fled the blaze and why none of her children had been carried out with her. While Miss Henson insisted she was trying to wrestle Tommy out of a first floor window when she was blown out by a back-draft, there was no evidence of a back-draft and the window was found to be shut.
She told Dr Hunter: "I did have that window open, I know forensics say I didn't but I did. "I didn't jump out, how can you believe that I would leave him (Tommy) in there? "I don't know what happened but I was in the room with my son in my arms and the next thing I was just going through the air. "I can't imagine it happening but it happened." Delivering four narrative verdicts on the deaths of Tommy, Alisha, Rocco and Appolonia, Dr Hunter re-iterated that the entire tragedy could have been prevented if a fireguard had been put in place or if a smoke alarm had been functioning.
He also echoed his concerns over the mis-sale of logs that are wrongly marketed as "seasoned" - and promised to write to the deputy prime-minister to highlight the issue.
Speaking after the inquest, a tearful Miss Henson told reporters outside the court that she felt it had been a fair hearing and that the conclusion of the inquest, on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, was a "weight off her shoulders".
When asked what her year has been like she replied: "I got dealt the worst cards in England, didn't I, this year?" *HULLAND Ward's Parish Church will be open on the first anniversary of the fire, Wednesday, January 25, between 10am and 8pm for anyone who would like to use the quiet of the church to remember Tommy, Alisha, Rocco and Appolonia, or view the book of remembrance.
