Bury firefighter Stephen Hunt who died tackling a blaze in Manchester’s Northern Quarter? was unlawfully killed, an inquest jury has concluded.

Hunt  was among over sixty firefighters who were called to a blaze at Paul’s Hair World on Oldham Street in July 2013.

The verdict means that the jury has concluded that two five teen year old girls were responsible for the fire and Greater Manchester Police have now confirmed that they will re examine the case.

The girls, now aged seventeen, told the inquest that they had put out their cigarettes, however the inquest was told that the girls made a video in which they admitted starting the fire.

Commenting on the verdict, Detective Superintendent Peter Marsh from Greater Manchester Police said: 

“Firefighter Stephen Hunt was a committed professional serving the public in a job that his family tell me he loved. He and his colleagues confront danger and go daily into situations most of us would walk away from, and we should rightly thank them for doing this on our behalf 

“This makes Stephen’s death particularly tragic and I cannot imagine the suffering and upset that his family and friends have gone through, and continue to go through. It is evident he is sadly missed but never forgotten. 

“GMP investigated this case with support from Merseyside and West Yorkshire Fire Services and the Health and Safety Executive. 

“This has been a long and complex investigation where we have examined the actions of individuals and organisations in order to establish the facts around Stephen’s death and I hope that now, at the end of the 

inquest, his family can fully understand what took place on that day and have some of the answers to the many questions they have had throughout the enquiry. 

“A prosecution file was submitted to the CPS at the time of the criminal investigation and a teenage girl was issued with a summons to appear in court for an offence of an arson offence, in connection with the fire that claimed Stephen’s life. This case was later discontinued at court. 

“Following the findings from the Coroner’s inquest, GMP will now review the case with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if any further action is to be taken.” 

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