FIRE experts believe a carelessly discarded cigarette was responsible for the fire blaze which ripped through a Chorley home killing three people.

Single mother Anita Riding, aged 55, her fiancee Raymond Ellision, 42, and her 17-year-old son, Daniel, died in the inferno at their terraced council house in St Gregory's Place shortly after 3am on Saturday.

Fire fighters were at the scene within minutes but could do nothing to help the three people inside.

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