No investigation into fatal fire

The fire claimed four lives from the same family

Police have revealed there will be no criminal investigation into a blaze which claimed the lives of three generations of the same family in west Wales.

Grandmother Larine Balbini, 42, her daughter Lana, 22, and grandchildren Stuart, three, and Shane, 18 months, all died in the fire on the Maesgwern estate in the village of Tumble, near Llanelli in the early hours of Monday morning.

The family were upstairs when the fire started

"We can confirm that we are satisfied that this was a tragic accident and no-one is to blame," said Detective Chief Inspector Steve Wilkins, of Dyfed-Powys Police.

"No criminal investigation will take place and a file will be sent to the coroner," he added.

Mr Wilkins also revealed that the ferocity of the blaze meant that any rescue attempts were impossible.

"Everybody tried as much as they could to try to save the people in the house but the speed the fire went through the house meant it was a hopeless cause."

Mrs Balbini's sons Leighton and Lyndon had been in the house at the time of the fire, but managed to escape the blazing building.

They were later treated for smoke inhalation at Llanelli's Prince Philip hospital.

Police are working with the local community after reporting that the deaths have had a "tremendous" effect on people in the area.

Everybody tried as much as they could to try to save the people in the house but the speed the fire went through the house meant it was a hopeless cause

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Wilkins

Post mortem examinations were carried out on the victims on Wednesday, after the bodies were recovered from the building on Tuesday.

It had not been possible to enter the house until then because of the damage caused by the fire.

The blaze was so severe that soon after firefighters arrived at the scene at 0100GMT, the roof collapsed.

Neighbours described hearing "an explosion" when the force of the blaze meant rescue crews had to retreat from the property.

Specialist equipment was brought in for the recovery operation on Tuesday.

Overseen by Home Office forensic pathologist Stephen Leadbetter, all four bodies were taken to Llanelli's Prince Philip Hospital.

Lana Balbini and her two young sons lived in a house nearby on the Maesgwern estate and were staying at her mother's house overnight when the fire started.

Mrs Balbini's husband Andrew, who is in prison in Swansea, was informed of the tragedy by police.