MUM AND THREE CHILDREN ESCAPE RAGING INFERNO

MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON AFTER CLOSE CALL

A TOWNSVILLE family are starting from scratch after their home was burnt down and they “lost everything” last Saturday night.

Tyneka Clifford lived at her Kelso residence with three of her children when their world was flipped upside down on the weekend.

Police will allege a man deliberately lit the home on fire.

Miss Clifford said the fire began near the lounge room. The 31-year-old said it didn’t take long for her home to be completely engulfed.

“I just grabbed the kids and tried to get out of the house as fast as we could because it was going up really quick,” Miss Clifford said.

The emotional mother said her children were left shaken from the terrifying experience.

“They were really upset, my daughter was emotional because she lost all of her toys,” Miss Clifford said.

“She also had a new weighted blanket, which helps with her anxiety and calms her down that was destroyed. So she was distraught about that.”

Miss Clifford said her family were left with nothing as a result of the blaze.

“We basically lost everything, we only got out with the clothes we had on our back, we didn’t even have shoes on.

“We went back to the house to see what we could salvage and there was barely anything there.

“We had only been in the home since December, so hadn’t been in there for that long at all.

“I still don’t think it’s real.”

Miss Clifford said she was thankful for the help of Captain

Teddy’s in Rasmussen, as it had organised clothes and other items for the family.

The man has been charged with arson by police and is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court in August.