Dad’s tragic bid to save both sons from blaze
He only managed to grab hold of one
FULL OF SMILES Zac, left and Harley
A DAD thought he had plucked his sons from a blazing caravan after he blindly grabbed an arm and a leg out of the flames – but they were both from the same child.
Brothers Zac and Harley Harvey, then aged three and four, were staying at their father Shaun’s caravan for a sleepover, when fire broke out.
He battled through smoke and flames in a bid to rescue the boys. But when he was finally able to see, he was holding Harley’s arm and leg - Zac was still in the blaze.
His bravery saved Harley, and despite being badly hurt, he battled to get back to Zac, but it was too late.
Zac and Harley’s mum Erin who revealed the heartbreaking story, said: “Shaun had come out of the caravan, holding Harley’s arm and Harley’s leg. He thought he was holding both Harley and Zac.
“It wasn’t until he was going into the house that he realised it was just Harley.
“His family said he tried to go back into the caravan to get Zac, but it was totally engulfed in flames.”
The fire ripped through the mobile home at about 5am during a weekend
Caravan's charred remains
LOST LAD Zac & Shaun sleepover with his children in January. Father and son were taken to hospital and Erin, 28, who co-parents with Shaun, woke up to missed calls.
The grieving mum, of Ffair-Rhos, near Pontrhydfendigaid, Mid Wales, added: “I spoke to a nurse who told me Shaun and Harley were there and to wait at home. “I asked, ‘ where is Zac’ and she said she wasn’t sure and police were coming to speak to me. I just knew.”
She said when police told her Zac was dead “I just fell to the ground, shouting and screaming.”
Erin rushed to Harley’s side in hospital where he was in a coma with serious burns. When Harley woke, he “started trying to shout ‘ daddy’.” She added: “It was quite quickly he said to me, ‘ Zac’s dead’. That was when it hit me the most, hearing him say it.”
Harley is now recovering. Erin said: “He’s just doing so well. He handles it much better than I could.”
Authorities are still investigating the fire, thought to be accidental and not caused by any of the family.