Fire may have destroyed toddler's ashes, say family

Lyndee died at the age of two following an incident at her home in 2023

A family forced to move after a house fire said they were uncertain if their two-year-old's ashes had been destroyed.

Abbie's daughter, Lyndee, died in June 2023 of an accidental death after an incident at her home in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

On 21 August of this year, crews were called to a fire in the roof of the house at Brohawddgar.

Abbie, a mum-of-eight, said the family had not been allowed back into the house because it's unsafe, and the blaze was having a "big impact" on them.

Both properties suffered significant damage in the fire

Abbie, who has multiple sclerosis (MS) and uses a wheelchair, said the family had gone to Tŷ Hafan children's hospice when they received a call to say their house had caught fire.

"Everything just went blur," Abbie said.

"It's basically gutted out."

Abbie says they had "quite a large donation" that they are "still going through"

Twin sisters Keira and Sienna, 16, were collecting their GCSE results when they found out about the fire.

Keira described longing for precious items, including those belonging to her little sister, Lyndee.

"I lost a load of stuff of my baby sister. I had a picture frame with her thumb print on it with everyone else's," she said.

"Obviously, you can't get that back because of the thumb print."

Another sister, Aderyn, 10, said she is "praying" that her sister's ashes have not been damaged.

"We did have some that were buried, but there was some that was left for jewellery and stuff and they were in the house."

Abbie said the "shock of everything" has caused issues with her MS, which affects the brain and spinal cord.

"It has a big effect on me, which is obviously having a knock on effect on the family," she said.

The family has been relocated more than 20 miles away in Carmarthen.

Sienna said she wants to return to Llanelli and that its stressful arranging transport to college.

"It's stressful because we've got to get on a bus to college [in Llanelli] and then either stay at someone's house or find a way to come back, a lift or a bus or something," added Keira.

Following the fire, Abbie said the response from the community has been "unbelievable" and she is "grateful" for their help.

Aderyn, 10, says she's received "a few teddies" as donations

In a statement, Carmarthenshire council said it is supporting the family.

It added that its priority was to ensure the home was restored so the family could move back at the earliest opportunity.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was accidental and Dyfed Powys-Police is not treating it as suspicious.