Overview
- Detective Chief Inspector Abigail Finch-Hall told the jury a regular known as Johnny opened a gas canister and used a lighter to ignite it.
- Philip Antony Townsend, 70, and John James McCartney, 60, died from smoke inhalation after being unable to escape.
- Footage presented in court showed smoke filling the club in less than 60 seconds, with most patrons evacuating through a rear kitchen door.
- Police described an unusual recessed double-door arrangement that could not be opened from outside, with Townsend later found trapped between the doors.
- Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said ten engines and specialist equipment were deployed, and the club’s operator and her son received custodial sentences in 2023 for fire safety breaches.