The Night Six Children Died: How One Choice Ignited Victory Road

The Night Six Children Died: How One Choice Ignited Victory Road A quiet terraced house on Victory Road became an inferno in the early hours of 11 May 2012, leaving six children dead from smoke inhalation; forensic dogs and lab tests found concentrated gasoline poured through the front door letterbox. Who chose to pour that accelerant, and why was the fire set hours before a custody hearing that would decide the children's futures? In this episode, we tell the factual sequence of events from the night the fire started through the early investigation, focusing on the house, the people present, and the forensic evidence that shifted the inquiry from tragic accident to deliberate act. What role did the timing of the custody hearing play in what happened that morning? Date: 11 May 2012 Location: 18 Victory Road, Allenton, Derby Victims: six children, ages 5 to 13 Adults present: Mick Philpott, Mairead Philpott, Paul Mosley Cause of death: smoke inhalation - Fire call received at 2:47 a.m. on Friday, 11 May 2012. - Five children were found dead at the scene; the sixth died in hospital days later. - Staircase coated in marine varnish, a highly flammable product, connected upstairs bedrooms to ground floor. - Accelerant detection dog sat at the front door threshold; lab tests found gasoline concentrated at the letterbox opening. - Gasoline residue was detected on clothing associated with all three adults who were in the house that night. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].