Razed by dryer fire

2 cats & ‘99% of possessions’ lost as family went shopping

A FAMILY are devastated after a tumble dryer fire ripped through their home destroying everything and killing their pet cats.

Alan Beal and partner Nikki Coop, both 35, were not insured for the contents of their home and “lost 99%” of their belongings in the blaze.

Dad-of-three Alan said: “I tried to save the cats but the smoke was too thick, I couldn’t see or breathe in there.”

The blaze took hold while no one was home, and is believed to have been sparked by a 10-yearold tumble dryer.

Alan had loaded it before he took daughter Ruby, four, and son Lucas, 10, to nearby Asda to buy food for their evening meal.

When he returned, he found the house burning and the fire service at the property. He tried to shield Ruby and Lucas from the distressing scene and took them to his in-laws’ home, on the opposite side of the street.

Mr Beal, who works for Tesco Mobile, then made a desperate bid to save his cats Smokey and Fluffy from the burning house. He said: “Personally, that’s the worst thing, that’s what hurts most. Emotionally, burying the cats was the hardest, because it was so fresh.”

Alan of Bolton, Gtr Manchester, told how, despite his efforts to save his daughter from the upsetting sight, little Ruby saw him trying to get in the house.

He said: “They didn’t see a lot but my daughter has admitted seeing me trying to get into the house and was scared I was going to die.

“Nikki is pretty shaken up, it’s hard. She is struggling. So far I’ve salvaged about five items and I’m not even sure they’re worth salvaging.”

The couple are also counting the cost of the damage to their home and possessions.

Mr Beal continued: “We’ve lost everything, we were not contents insured.”

Friends and colleagues are doing what they can to help. The family believe the tumble dryer was the cause but the make of the dryer is not known.

The Mirror has campaigned for action on faulty appliances. A fire brigade probe into the blaze continues.

ALL GONE Alan Beal by his burnt out home where his cats died WARNING A previous dryer fire

DANGER Our dodgy dryer report