So horrific... fireman at farmhouse inferno was son-in-law of tragic dad
A FIREMAN battled in vain to save his wife’s dad from a devastating blaze that killed him and five of his children, it was revealed last night.
David Price, 25, is the son-in-law of David Cuthbertson, 68, and was called out when flames took hold of the retired builder’s Welsh farmhouse in the early hours of Monday.
Mr Cuthbertson and five of his children, aged between four and 11, are thought to have died in the deadly fire.
Mr Price married Mr Cuthbertson’s daughter Pia, 24, in a ceremony in Greece last year.
The volunteer firefighter and self-employed carpenter was last night comforting his grieving wife.
Three other children, aged 13, 12 and 10, managed to escape and are being treated in hospital after the inferno in Llangammarch Wells, Powys.
Mr Cuthbertson, who is said to have up to 17 children from three different relationships, has been described as a devoted father.
Some reports suggest he managed to lower the children down from a third-floor window, but was overcome by smoke and flames before he could help the others.
Firefighters and mountain rescue teams were called to the horrific scene, which fire chiefs said was “perilous and extremely challenging”.
Gutted
Neighbour Mary Ann Gilchrist said: “What I find so horrific is that one of those responding was his own son-in-law, who is a retained fireman. Can you imagine?”
Mr Price serves with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue, based in the nearby town of Llanwrtyd Wells.
Another of Mr Cuthbertson’s sons-in-law, Stuart Reed, has also been a firefighter at the same station. It is unclear if he was also called to the scene. The fire service has declined to comment. An investigation into the blaze is being carried out by specialist fire investigators and police say the cause is “unexplained”.
The victims have not yet been formally identified because of the severity of the damage to the gutted building.
Soft toys and flowers have been left at the scene in tribute, including some from classmates of the children involved.
By yesterday afternoon, donations to a JustGiving page had reached £14,000.
Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday said: “This was indeed a terrible tragedy that took place. It isn’t just a family themselves that have been affected but the local community as well.
“The emergency services did sterling work.”