Children who died in fire 'were happy and loved'

Family and friends of a woman who died alongside her three children in a house fire in Merseyside have been paying their respects.

The fire, inside a property on Stone Square in Bootle, "spread rapidly" in the early hours of Tuesday morning. An injured man who was outside the house when fire crews arrived remains in hospital.

A growing collection of teddy bears, flowers, balloons, cards and photographs of the family have been left near the scene.

Rachel, who grew up near the mother, told the BBC: "She made her children happy, she did everything for her children." She added: "They were loved. It's just really, really sad."

After leaving flowers close to a police cordon around Stone Square, she said: "Even if I didn't know her, I'd still be here paying my respects because the young children have lost their lives and so has the mother.

"It's ripped the whole family apart."

Rachel added: "It's a tight-knit community; everyone does everything for everyone.

"They all look out for each other, that's what you need in a community."

One neighbour who lives close to the scene of the fire described chaotic scenes in the early hours of Tuesday.

"I thought someone was like arguing, because you could hear the screams and that sort of thing," she said.

"At first I went into my son's bedroom and then I saw smoke, and I said 'one of the houses is on fire'".

She described her reaction to the news of the deaths as "devastation".

On Tuesday evening, some neighbours played a song said to have been special to the mother, while firefighters stood in silence to pay their respects.

Loti Nambombe, who is taking care of the family's dog after the fire, said: "It's a community. It's broken. It hurts."

A joint investigation involving Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is expected to continue, with a mobile incident room set up close to the scene in the hours after the fire.

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, and Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Rev Simon Robinson, said they were "deeply saddened to hear of the devastating incident".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones at this unimaginably difficult time," they added.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Liverpool metro mayor Steve Rotheram said: "There is that bond in most of those communities that we're talking about, certainly in Bootle and places like that - a very, very strong identity.

"I'm certain that whatever they can do as a community to help those who have been left behind, they will."

Bootle MP Peter Dowd said: "My heart goes out to the family and friends of the four who lost their lives in a house fire in Bootle.

"Their loss is beyond words. This shocking event will touch everyone in our community."

Dowd said that police and other emergency services "must be allowed to undertake their investigations into this tragic situation".

"I also want to put on record the outstanding work our emergency services do in such challenging personal circumstances," he added.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) arrived on the scene at about 03:40 BST on Tuesday and found the semi-detached house "well alight".

A man, understood to have also lived in the house, was found badly burned outside and was taken to hospital.

Fire crews went into the house to try to bring the fire under control and search for anyone inside.

MFRS later confirmed that four people "showing no signs of life" had been found in an upstairs bedroom.

Nambombe said before the fire crews arrived, neighbours had been attempting to get into the house to try to rescue the family trapped inside.

"There were guys that tried to go in. People were doing everything, honestly," he said.

"Everyone here is a family and it's broken everyone."

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told the BBC: "They were good people, just a normal family getting on with life… who loved their kids."

A police van remains at the scene at the cordon of the cul-de-sac.

Dozens of tributes including cards, flowers, candles, teddy bears and pink and blue star-shaped balloons have been laid on the pavement next to the cordon.

Kevin Longshaw, area manager for MFRS, described it as a devastating incident, and said thoughts were very much with the family and friends of those who had lost their lives and been injured.

He said they would work closely with relevant colleagues to determine the cause of the fire.

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