Overview
- Police told jurors a regular known as Johnny opened a gas canister and ignited it with a lighter, then tried to carry it out before being forced back.
- CCTV played in court showed thick smoke filling the club in less than 60 seconds after ignition.
- The main exit featured two external doors with a narrow recess that opened only about 30 degrees and could not be opened from inside.
- Philip Townsend was found in the door recess after the outer doors were closed that day, while other patrons escaped via a rear kitchen door.
- Detectives said no fire risk assessment was found as an external expert and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service examined the site, with earlier 2023 sentences recorded for the licensee and her son over fire-safety breaches.