A devastating fire believed to have been caused by a stray firework has left families heartbroken in Lincolnshire, England. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to a semi-detached house in Hall Gate, Holbeach in the early hours of January 1st. The house was completely destroyed, with its three occupants, including a 10-year-old girl, climbing out of a window to escape the flames. A neighbouring property was also damaged.
Karolyn Ward, whose family had lived in the property for 20 years, said “We have one car and the clothes we stood up in. Everything else is gone. It’s heartbreaking that we’ve lost the furniture, but it’s the baby photos, the first drawings and the certificates. That’s the worst.” Another resident, Jayden Nightingale, whose adjoining property was also damaged, was alerted to the blaze via his digital doorbell when he was celebrating New Year’s Eve in Sheffield with his partner.
An initial investigation suggests that the fire was caused by a firework. Two online fundraisers have each raised thousands of pounds to support both families. Mrs Ward’s online appeal raised more than £6,500 in less than a day. Another crowd-funding page raised more than £3,000 for Nightingale. He expressed, “Everything I have is what I took with me, which was my car, what I’m wearing now, my clothes that I wore that night and my phone and wallet. Everything else is just gone. I had all my nursery books and my school books, I kept them in my loft. I had my Grandad’s ashes in a marble necklace – that’ll be gone.”
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the blaze, and it has served as a reminder of the importance of firework safety. While firework injuries are common around Bonfire Night and the New Year, injuries can happen at any time of the year, and sometimes fires too. Members of the public are being encouraged to take all necessary precautions when handling fireworks and to check that they have purchased products with the British Standard number BS 7114
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