Details of ruined Shropshire millionaire Chris Foster's "severe financial difficulty" have been revealed at the inquest into his death.
The hearing into the deaths of the 50-year-old businessman, his wife Jill and teenage daughter Kirstie was told Mr Foster's thermal insulation company, Ulva Ltd, went into liquidation in October 2007, leaving him in difficulty.
Police believe Mr Foster killed his 49-year-old wife and 15-year-old daughter at their £1.2 million home in Maesbrook before torching the property and committing suicide.
Their burnt bodies were found in Osbaston House days after the blaze in August last year.
The hearing at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court heard that in December 2005 Mr Foster told police his ex-accountant was blackmailing him over a joint property deal in Cyprus.
Two defendants were prosecuted and found not guilty at Shrewsbury Crown Court in November 2006.
The inquest, attended by Mr Foster's mother Enid and brother Andrew, was shown photographs of the luxury five-bedroomed house before and after the blaze in the early hours of August 26.
Images of the property's dining room showed containers of heating oil on the floor.
The inquest was told an oil tank used to heat the property was situated in the outbuildings of the house and would have been full at the time of the fire.
