Inquest into death of Preston brother and sister killed in tragic house fire

An inquest is due to take place into the deaths of two children tragically killed in a Preston house fire last year.

Louis Constantin Busuioc, five, and his three-year-old sister Desire-Elena Busuioc died in hospital four days after the blaze at their home in Coronation Crescent, Frenchwood on April 8, 2022. Brave neighbours tried desperately to rescue the youngsters but were driven back by heat and smoke.

The children were brought out by firefighters and rushed to Royal Preston Hospital in a critical condition before being transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Medical intervention was withdrawn four days later on April 12 and the children sadly passed away.

Their mother Lorena Busuioc, aged in her 20s, was trapped upstairs with her children and was also injured in the blaze.

A 24-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of arson but was later released without charge.

A fundraiser to cover the costs of the childrens' funerals and repatriation raised more than £6,000 for the family.

The GoFundMe campaign, from Alina-Paulina Vicol, reads: "Our beloved Desire Elena Busuioc, age three, and our beloved Louis Constantin Busuioc, age five, recently passed on 12/04/2022.

"Desire and Louis were wonderful, happy, bubbly daughter and son, who touched the lives of those around them. Desire and Louis have left behind their mum and dad, Auntie’s and uncles cousins.

"Desire was looking forward to start nursery this September; 'mummy I can’t wait to go to nursery, so I can be with Louis all day not like now just in the afternoons and evenings'. Desire always wanted to be told that she is beautiful; 'I’m beautiful, I’m a princess, isn’t it true mummy and daddy'.

"Louis couldn’t wait for school to finish to come home and play with his sister. Louis loved Paw Patrol, cars and loved food, he would eat anything including vegetables; 'I will be big and strong if I eat this, I’m going to be superman'.

"We are all devastated by Desire’s and Louis’s loss and were not prepared for the high cost of a funeral service and repatriation to Romania from England. We want to give Desire and Louis the memorial they deserves, to honour their memory and say our last goodbyes."

Inquest to take place over four days

A pre-inquest review hearing took place in August where it was decided that a full hearing should take place over four days to allow for the number of witnesses and interested parties. The full inquest will be held on Monday, January 8 at County Hall in Preston.

At the pre-inquest review hearing in August, it was heard that Louise and Desire-Elena’s parents had concerns over aspects of the response efforts of both North West Ambulance Service and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

The full details of those concerns were not addressed in the review hearing, but might be considered further at the full hearing on January 8.

Area coroner Chris Long said he would read any uncontentious statements into the record at the full hearing and said he would order anyone to attend if he needed further information or he believed the children’s family would benefit from asking additional questions.

Mr Long issued a provisional list of ten witnesses who would be compelled to appear at the full hearing, including representatives of the fire and ambulance service, as well as PS Riding of Lancashire Police and a member of the public who witnessed the fatal fire. 

He explained that its purpose was to answer four questions - who has died, where did the die, when did they die, and how did they die. He added: “No one is on trial and there is no question of me attributing blame to anyone. That is not the purpose of these proceedings.”