Sick baby family are hit by flat fire
AFAMILY whose sick four-month-old baby had just got out of hospital have been left homeless after a devastating flat fire.
Jade Earp and her partner Steven Bramhall only just managed to escape with 18-month-old Nicola and newborn Steven after a tumble drier blaze tore through their tower block flat.
The family, who have two other children, have endured months of anxiety because little Steven was born with a serious heart condition and had suffered a cardiac arrest.
But just as they were getting used to having him home, their lives have now been thrown in the air by the devastating fire on Sunday.
Steven Snr was with the two children at the family’s flat in Stonemill Terrace, Stockport, about 12.15pm when smoke started to pour from their dryer, which then burst into flames.
Steven went to see what was happening, and found the tumble dryer in flames.
He quickly grabbed 18-month-old Nicola, who was in an adjoining bedroom, with Jade taking four-month-old Steven, who was born with the congenital condition known as Tetraolgy of Fallot.
Their two other children – Isla and Scarlett – were in the park playing with friends, and were heartbroken after being told what had happened and that their Christmas presents had been destroyed.
The family are now living with relatives and have no idea when they might be able to find another home – with the fire service describing their damaged home as ‘a write off.’
Jade, 25, said: “I was in the front room with my partner and baby Steven when I started to smell a horrible burning smell, like when plastic is burning.
“The kitchen was filling up with smoke, my partner went to look and the whole tumble dryer was completely in flames. We ran out and he started banging on doors to warn people in nearby flats, the smoke was starting to spread out onto the landing. We have lost everything, I came out in my pyjamas and my partner had no shoes on.”
Kind Stockport residents have started to donate items after hearing about the family’s plight on social media.
Jade said: “The only thing we managed to get from the flat was some of baby Steven’s medicine and a pack of nappies, and they were covered in black smoke.
“It does restore your faith in humanity. The amount of donations has been unbelievable.”