A TEENAGER has been found guilty of starting a fire in a bedroom wardrobe which killed four siblings.
Four-year-old twins Holly and Ella Smith and their two-year-old brother Jordan were asleep as the blaze took hold in Freckleton, Lancashire, while their elder brother Reece, 19, was overcome by fumes as he went upstairs to try to rescue them.
All four died from the effects of smoke inhalation following the blaze on January 7 last year.
Dyson Allen, 19, was convicted of four counts of manslaughter by a jury at Preston Crown Court yesterday. He was cleared of their murders.
Members of the victims' family shouted "yes", many of them in tears, as the jury foreman returned each guilty verdict on the manslaughter counts.
Sentencing was adjourned until September 27 for the preparation of psychiatric reports.
Mr Justice Males told the court: "There must be no doubt that it is inevitable there will be a substantial prison sentence."
The fatal fire began inside a wardrobe in the bedroom shared by the three young children and their mother, Michelle Smith.
"We would like to pay tribute to Reece who paid the ultimate price for trying to rescue his brother and sisters and for that we will be eternally grateful and proud."
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