Six-figure settlement after children die in fire

Isaac Jenkins, three, and his sister Sienna, seven, died in the fire, which an inquest heard was most probably caused by an electrical fault

A mother has been paid a six-figure settlement from a TV manufacturer after surviving a fire which killed both her young children, a law firm said.

Isaac, three, and Sienna Jenkins, seven, died from breathing in smoke at their house in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, on 10 December 2020.

Their mother Jade Horton broke many bones, including both her legs, jumping from a second-floor window on that Thursday morning.

Clare Morris, from JF Law, said: “Nothing can replace what she has lost, but I hope settling the claims brings some peace and comfort.”

An inquest in 2022 heard that "perfect storm of bad luck" effectively created a chimney in the home

About 40 firefighters tackled the blaze, at the home in Buttercup Avenue in Eynesbury.

At the time, crews described how they were told the children were still in the burning house when they arrived and they tried to get them out.

Ms Horton, who was 34 years old, had life-changing injuries as the result of her jump, while her partner received minor injuries.

An investigation into the fire concluded the most probable cause was an electrical fault in a first-floor bedroom.

The law firm's Ms Morris said the inquest heard from fire investigators that a TV's screen frame was found in the debris at the seat of the fire, as first reported by the Daily Mail.

The inquest heard that, on the balance of probabilities, the fire started in a first floor bedroom in an electronic device at the foot of Isaac's bed, and it was believed to have been the television.

Chris Strickland, then the chief fire officer for Cambridgeshire Fire Service, described it as "one of the toughest incidents you can attend as a firefighter"

The coroner heard how a "perfect storm of bad luck" effectively created a chimney in the home allowing the fire to spread rapidly from the first floor up the staircase and into the bedroom of Sienna.

Ms Morris said: “This is the most tragic case I’ve ever dealt with."

Flowers and soft toys were left in memory of the children