Police name girl, 4, killed in house fire

Kiki, looking into the camera with her tongue sticking out. She has blonde hair in bunches and is wearing a pink coat.Image source, Handout
Image caption,

Kiki's family described her as the "biggest smiling star"

  • Published

A four-year-old girl killed in a house fire earlier this week has been named as Kiana-Lee Wallace.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service was called to an address in Kingsley Road, in Lynemouth, Northumberland, shortly before 21:30 GMT on Monday where Kiana-Lee, known as Kiki, was found inside.

Despite efforts by emergency service workers, she died at the scene.

In a tribute, Kiana-Lee's family said they are "absolutely broken" and that she remained "the biggest smiling star in our lives".

A woman in her 20s and a two-year-old girl who were also in the house at the time, both received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to hospital.

The woman remains in hospital, while the young girl has been discharged.

A path in front of a row of terraced houses lined with flowers, balloons and tributes.
Image caption,

Tributes have been left outside the house in Lynemouth, Northumberland

"We are absolutely broken as a family to have lost our beloved Kiki in this way," the family said, in a statement.

Det Ch Insp Louise Jenkins, senior investigating officer, said the investigation on site continues and the police were "committed to establishing exactly what happened".

"We are still keen to hear from anyone who has information which may help our enquiries," she said.

Terraced houses. The upstairs windows of one are wide open with pink curtains hanging out.
Image caption,

The fire service was called to an address in Kingsley Road on Monday night

Neighbour Karen Coulson, 58, described the young girl's death as "absolutely devastating", adding local residents had tried to help but were forced back by the heat.

"It's devastating we couldn't get in to help her. It's awful," Ms Coulson told BBC Look North.

"The full neighbours were out trying [to help]. We had neighbours up the top coming down and banging on other people's doors to try and get them out.

"It was just horrific."

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