Was feud behind blaze that killed children as they slept?
A BITTER feud involving rival families is believed to have sparked an arson attack which killed three children and left a fourth sibling aged three fighting for life.
Demi Pearson, 14, her brother Brandon, eight, and sister Lacie, seven, were asleep on Monday when a 5am inferno swept their home.
Two petrol bombs were thrown into the house and it is believed an attacker climbed scaffolding to drop a third down the chimney.
Yesterday mum Michelle Pearson, 35, was still in an induced coma while youngest daughter Lia, three, was critically ill in hospital.
Targeted
As Greater Manchester Police questioned three people, having released three more on bail, it confirmed the Pearson family home in Walkden was “targeted”.
Chief Superintendent Wayne Miller said: “I can’t imagine what the family are going through.
“My heart breaks for them. We have collected CCTV and believe this to be a targeted attack.”
Another brother Kyle Pearson, 16, and his friend Bobby Smith escaped the inferno before struggling in vain to rescue loved ones.
Neighbours claim the fireball came after weeks of hostilities between two families, including a hammer attack on a dog. One resident said: “They’ve all been at each other for ages now.
“I don’t know what started it but it’s just got worse and worse.”
It is claimed before the arsonist struck, he shouted: “I’ll kill you all!”
Friend Janette Dean, 54, claimed the feud resulted in the Pearsons’ terraced home being “smashed up” last week with a hammer.
She said: “Michelle was involved Michelle Pearson, above, is in hospital unaware that she lost three of her children in the arson attack. They are, from left, Lacie, seven, Demi, 14, and Brandon, eight in a row with a bloke and his girlfriend and he smashed up Michelle’s house. Michelle has her fair share of problems but she loved those kids and she was a good woman and a good mum.”
The Greater Manchester force has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission after having repeated contact with the Pearsons before the tragedy.
Officers visited the home over a wheelie bin fire just three before the arson attack.
Miss Pearson was raising her five children alone after her partner Paul, Lia’s father, died of cancer a year ago. The father of the older four is understood to be in prison.
Yesterday, survivor Kyle joined around 200 people who gathered to light candles and pay their respects to his family at nearby St John the Baptist Church. Devastated Kyle hours said: “I can’t get my head around it. It’s disgraceful. It’s hard to talk about it. I’m in shock.”
So far, four men aged 19, 20, 23 and 25, along with a 20 year-old woman, have been arrested and quizzed on suspicion of murder. A 24-year-old man was also being questioned on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Police said the 19 and 20-year-old men had been released on bail, along with the 20-year-old woman.