Published Tuesday, 08 December 2009
Heavy-drinking depressive Arthur McElhill, 36, doused the hallway of the two-storey terrace house in Omagh, Co Tyrone, with petrol and white spirit and lit it.
The inferno in Lammy Crescent in November 2007 claimed the lives of his partner, Lorraine McGovern, 29, and their five young children.
It is believed Ms McGovern had just found out her long-term partner was conducting an underage sexual relationship with the family's babysitter.
On the fourth day of an inquest into the deaths, Northern Ireland Coroner Suzanne Anderson said she was satisfied that McElhill had torched the home after Miss McGovern had threatened to walk out on him.
"I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Arthur McElhill and Lorraine McGovern had been up all night and that she was about to leave, taking with her at least some of her children, when the fire was started by Arthur McElhill," she said.
But the coroner said she could not prove conclusively that McElhill had intended to commit suicide, noting that he had broken an upstairs window in an apparent bid to escape the home as the blaze took hold.
'Devastated'
After the findings, Mr McElhill's parents released a statement indicating the impact the fire has had on their lives.
"The events of two years ago have devastated and shattered our lives beyond belief," Charles and Patricia McElhill said.
"Our pain is immeasurable and it will endure for the rest of our lives.
"We love and miss Arthur, Lorraine and our grandchildren every day. We will always remember them as a happy family."
Outside Omagh Courthouse, Miss McGovern's parents, Theresa and Kevin, stood with heads bowed as their solicitor read out their statement.
"We are thankful and relieved that these proceedings have now concluded, which, we trust, will bring us closure on this awful tragedy and enable us get on with our lives.
"We are mindful that the McElhill family have also suffered greatly and we extend to them our sincere sympathy."
Both families paid tribute to the firefighters and other emergency services who battled in vain to try to save the family.
During the inquest, a harrowing 999 call made by the couple's eldest child Caroline, 13, had been played to a stunned courtroom.
The schoolgirl died, along with her siblings, Sean, seven, four-year-old Bellina, one-year-old Clodagh and 10-month-old baby James.
Detective Chief Inspector Derek Scott, who led the police investigation, said the fire had been a tragedy for the two families, for the people of the Lammy area and for the wider Omagh community.
"The evidence that was gathered and presented to the Coroner was detailed and at times harrowing. It was important that all the evidence gathered should be presented and should be open to scrutiny by counsel for the families and by the Coroner," he said.