Family dog dies in tragic house blaze
Fire forces neighbours to leave homes
APET dog died in a house fire which severely damaged a family home just two days after Christmas.
Neighbours had to leave their houses as smoke spread from the blaze which began at around 4.30pm on Tuesday, December 27 on West View Road in Whitewell Bottom.
Firefighters made a desperate attempt to resuscitate the dog after pulling it out of the house.
The family were away when the incident happened.
Firefighters said the fire which caused extensive smoke damage ‘involved a tumble dryer’ on the ground floor of the property.
Neighbour Danny Kenyon, who lives on Burnley Road East, said: “Everybody in the street came out wondering what was happening.
“We couldn’t see any flame but there was a lot of smoke filling the doorway and coming out of the house. Luckily no one was in at the time but it’s really sad they lost their dog, but there was nothing anybody could do.”
Dozens of people rallied round to help clear out damaged possessions from the house on Wednesday, December 28.
APET dog died in a house fire which severely damaged a family home in Whitewell Bottom just two days after Christmas.
Three fire engines from Bacup and Rawtenstall were mobilised to extinguish the ‘severe’ fire at the ground floor of a house on West View Road at around 4.30pm on Tuesday, December 27.
The family were not at home at the time but a pet dog which was retrieved from the house by firefighters tragically died from suspected smoke inhalation despite attempts to resuscitate it.
Crews were at the scene for five hours as the blaze, which Lancashire Fire and Rescue say ‘involved a tumble dryer’ on the ground floor of the property, caused extensive smoke damage and several neighbouring properties were affected by smoke.
Danny Kenyon, who lives on nearby Burnley Road East, said: “Everybody in the street came out wondering what was happening.
“We couldn’t see any flames but there was a lot of smoke filling the doorway and coming out of the house. Luckily no one was in at the time but it’s really sad they lost their dog, but there was nothing anybody could do.”
Dozens of people rallied round to help clear out damaged possessions from the house on Wednesday, December 28. Danny, 49, added: “People have been down all morning helping them out. They are really well liked.”
Wife Sue Kenyon added: “It’s awful, it’s not good at any time of year but especially at Christmas-time. Obviously there is the loss of Christmas presents but then there is all the stuff you can’t replace. They’re absolutely devastated.”
Mum-of-two Stacey Flemming, 30, who lives on Lawrence Street, called the fire service when her smoke alarm went off around 4pm.
She said: “Our house was full of smoke and we thought it was the electrics. The fire service put powder in the basement but then they realised it was coming from next door. I just got my kids out and ran out of the house. We couldn’t go back in that night.
“My youngest she inhaled a bit of smoke and was sick.”
She added: “We were all really upset worrying about the Christmas presents and what was happening.
“Luckily it was just smoke damage but it’s just awful for our neighbours, it’s the worst time of year for something like this.”
Rawtenstall Crew Manager Rob Harvey said that the cause of the ‘substantial’ fire was unclear.
He said: “There was nobody in the property and it was discovered through the neighbouring property in the back that the smoke was coming through the basement.
“Unfortunately they have lost their dog in the fire, we couldn’t do anything for it. We are not sure of the exact cause because the damage was quite severe to the kitchen area.
“But crucially we urge people to make sure they have a working smoke alarm in their property.”
The family who live at the house where the fire happened declined to comment.