The deaths of three generations of the same family devastated Cwmbran residents and brought them together in grief. RUTH MANSFIELD looks at how the community has been affected.
THE deaths of Kim Kayleigh and Kimberley Buckley sent a shockwave through Cwmbran.
On the morning of September 18, residentS of Tillsiand and surrounding area woke to the devastating news that three generations of the same family had been killed earlier that morning in a fire and a man had been arrested on suspicion of their murders.
With police and fire crews carrying out their investigations and local and national media descending on the estate, neighbours of the family tried to come to terms with what had happened.
Residents spoke of then shock and told of then precious memories of the family as dozens of floral tributes and teddy bears continued to be laid on a grass verge at the entrance to the estate over the following days.
The floral tributes remained at the scene untouched months later while funeral flowers were also placed outside the home.
As time passed on and the community tried to get back to their normal lives, the house remained covered in plastic sheeting serving as a constant reminder of what had happened until the home was demolished in February this year.
Speaking more than two months after the incident.
Louise Price, 41. of nearby Offway said: "It's still just very quiet here. It's affected people in different ways.
"It was very shocking at the time and people are trying to get on with their lives."
But Ms Price said that from the tragedy, people in the area have been brought closer together.
She said: "I think it has brought the community closer together. People seem to be closer in the estate but we just try not to speak about it."
Neighbour Tania Brown said: "It is really quiet up here. It shocked everyone at the time but people are just trying to get on with their everyday routines."
Another neighbour said: "I still hear about things to do with the incident but I don't really talk about it anymore."
Another neighbour added: "It was such a tragedy. It shocked everyone."
Coed Eva ward councillor.
Fiona Cross said: "People have lots of different views about the incident. It's not just something that will go away. It will be in people's memories for some time.
"Coed Eva is a very tight community. Everybody knows everybody and I was very impressed at the way the community came together as well as the wider Torfaen community."
The "close community"
was something which was praised by Gwent police at the time of the incident including the two men who "valiantly and bravely"
tried to save the family.
Scott Williams previously told the Argus how he and Darren Sweeney tried to rescue the family but the fire was too fierce for them to get close to the house.
In court. Mr Williams described seeing flames coming from the top left hand corner window at the back of the home and running to the front door where he was met by a "blanket" of flames.
After going to the back of the house with a ladder, he looked up to see the remaining upstairs window start to fallout.
He said. "I thought there was nothing I could do."
Mr Sweeney told the jury he believed he had seen Kayleigh in a window shouting.
He tried to rescue the family but a window blew out at him. hitting him on the back leaving him needing stitches.
He said by that point he thought the screaming had stopped and the flames and smoke were too much to attempt to try and do anything.
Speaking at the time of the murders. Chief Inspector Steve Corcoran said he knew from experience that the area is a "close community".
He said: "This has never been more echoed than just after the fire service arrived.
Neighbours were trying valiantly and bravely to try and save the lives of the Buckley family.
"I'd personally like to thank them for their sup- port."
He added: "We are grateful for the co-operation of the community at this awful time."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article