'Everything's gone': Heartbreak over house fires

An initial investigation suggests the blaze could have been caused by a firework

A mother has told of her family's heartbreak after their home was destroyed by a fire believed to have been caused by a stray firework on New Year's Day.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue was called to a semi-detached house in Hall Gate, Holbeach, just after midnight on Wednesday.

The house was destroyed, with its three occupants, including a 10-year-old girl, climbing out of a window to escape the flames, while a neighbouring property was also damaged.

Karolyn Ward 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."

Karolyn Ward said her family, wearing only their pyjamas, escaped by climbing out of a window

Mrs Ward said the family, who had lived in the property for 20 years, had been celebrating New Year's Eve and had seen "fireworks from their back bedroom window" just before heading to bed, when she thought she spotted the garden shed "smoking".

She said the family were trapped indoors and had to "climb out the front window" in their pyjamas to escape.

She added: "My husband went first, then my daughter. I chucked my daughter out and then I climbed out. I was then banging on my neighbours' doors, trying to get them out. Luckily, they weren't there."

The moment the house went up in flames was captured on video

Neighbour Jayden Nightingale, whose adjoining property was left with damage to the first floor and roof, said he had been celebrating in Sheffield when he and his partner were alerted to the blaze by their digital doorbell.

"I answered it and there were people going 'get out your house, your house is on fire'," he said.

"All of a sudden, I just see all the smoke and then the cameras went off, the power went out and I was just sat in a hotel room thinking my house is now getting burnt down.

"I was honestly gutted. My life has basically just been burnt away and I can't do anything about it."

Jayden Nightingale was celebrating New Year's Eve in Sheffield when he was alerted to the blaze via his doorbell

In a statement, the fire service said: "An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the blaze. Initial findings suggest the fire could have been caused by a firework."

Five crews tackled the fire.

Two online fundraisers, which have each raised thousands of pounds, described how both families had "lost everything" they owned.

The aftermath of the fire shows the extent of the damage to the two homes

An online appeal to help Mrs Ward's family raised more than £6,500 in less than a day. Appealing for donations, it went on to say the 10-year-old girl had "lost everything she got for Christmas (imagine that as a kid)".

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue was called to the blaze just after midnight on Wednesday

Another fundraising page raised more than £3,000 for Mr Nightingale.

"Everything I have is what I took with me, which was my car, what I'm wearing now, my clothes that I wore on the night and my phone and wallet. Everything else is just gone," said Mr Nightingale.

"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."

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