Inferno leaves a family homeless
A Sunderland dad has described the terrifying moment he and his daughters fled a fire tearing through their home.
Liam Brady was home at Model Terrace, Penshaw, with Leona, 10, and six-yearold Stevie-Leigh when the fire broke out on Saturday.
“Iwasdownstairswhenthe smoke alarm went off. I went to the bottom of the stairs and I saw an orange glow reflected on the wall,” said Liam, 31.
An electrical fault within the wall had started a fire in the main bedroom where Liam and fiancee Kirty Wilson, 29, sleep.
“The wall of our bedroom wasonfireunderthewindow,” said Liam.
“The two kids were in the bedroom directly opposite ours.”
Bothgirlshadearphoneson and had not heard the alarm.
“Leona was on her Playstation and the little one was on her phone, so they were totally oblivious,” said Liam.
“I grabbed both of them andshoutedtogetdownstairs. When they saw the fire, I have never seen two kids so scared in my life.
"We ran downstairs and I grabbed a bucket but by the time I got back upstairs, the whole room was on fire. That was the point of no return, really.”
The three ran out of the houseandLiamphonedKirsty, who was with a friend nearby.
She arrived just in time to seethebedroomwindowblow out.
Therewasconfusionbefore the fire brigade arrived.
“My friend’s partner ran upstairs to see where the kids were but everybody was already out by that time,” said Liam.
“I was round in the garden and nobody knew where we were.”
Now the family are staying
with relatives while they wait to be rehoused.
"Our main bedrooom is totally ash, in the two kids’ bedrooms absolutely everything above knee height is melted and the downstairs is waterlogged,” said Liam.
A Go Fund Me page set up byfamilyfriendKatherineMason-Gagehasraisedmorethan £3,000 for the family and gifts have flooded in
"It has been absolutely amazing,thesupportandhelp we have received,” said Liam.
“PeoplefromallovertheUK have been sending donations.
"Gateshead fire station have been out and they have dropped a brand new telly off.
“The phrase ‘Thank you’ does not seem enough.”