Mother saves family from fire
A BRAVE young mother has told how she leapt over flames to rescue her ten-month-old daughter after the toddler had inadvertently started a house fire.
Dave Gooderham
A BRAVE young mother has told how she leapt over flames to rescue her ten-month-old daughter after the toddler had inadvertently started a house fire.
Relieved Lauren Shaw was left counting her blessings after she managed to carry little Evie and her eight-year-old brother, Charlie, to safety following the early morning living room blaze.
But the family, who were all treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, have been left homeless after the fire which started when Evie knocked over a portable heater and its safety mechanism failed.
Ms Shaw said: “The kids were in the front room when Evie knocked over the heater. By the time I had got from the kitchen to the living room, it had gone up in flames.
“I climbed over the flames to get to the kids but after I had called the fire service, the whole house was on fire - it was very scary.
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“Both floors of the house are black and damaged but I am just thankful that the kids are still alive. My little boy has been shaken up by it but they were not hurt.”
Ms Shaw praised the reaction of neighbours and work colleagues in the wake of the fire at Phillips Field Road, Great Cornard, on Tuesday morning .
Crews from Sudbury and Long Melford attended the blaze which started in the downstairs living room at about 7.40am.
The clean-up operation inside the property, owned by Orwell Housing Association, is expected to begin today after both floors of the house were decimated by smoke damage.
Now Ms Shaw is facing a battle over paying for the damage while also questioning the safety mechanisms of the portable heater after a safety button failed.
She said: “The heater is meant to have a security button for when it is knocked over but this heater started a fire within seconds. I would like answers but I can't remember where I had got it from.
“I am now faced with a cleaning bill and insurance costs. I am a single parent trying my hardest to work and do what I can for my kids and there doesn't seem to be any help out there for me.”
Orwell Housing Association declined to comment about the fire.
