Fund-raising appeal launched to help Yaxley mum who escaped blaze that left home badly damaged

Lianne Challis (38), of Broadway, Yaxley, says she is lucky to have escaped the fire and was only alerted to the danger when her smoke alarm went off at about 11.10pm on Friday (May 15).

Sadly, the intense smoke overcame her two-year-old pet cat Trixie.

But the flames wrecked the kitchen and its contents with the smoke ruining Lianne’s furniture and entire wardrobe of clothes and damaging the three-bed terrace home throughout.

Now her friend Sinead Finn has launched a Gofundme appeal to help Lianne and her son Lucas (8) who was away with his dad at the time of the fire, to rebuild their lives.

Lianne, who is now living with a friend, said: “I am so very lucky to have got out of the house when I did.

"I was woken by the smoke alarm going off and I went downstairs to the kitchen but I quickly realised there was nothing I could do to put it out and I needed to call for help.

"It was so scary and overwhelming.

She said: “I really am still in shock about what has happened.

"I am so thankful the smoke alarm went off.

She says the fire seemed to have started after she had taken clothes from the tumble drier and left them on the side.

She said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to the Stanground and Dogsthorpe fire crews who attended.”

However, just to add to her misery, Lianne says she has been told she will have to pay £200 for her cat’s cremation as it is not a cost included in her pet insurance.

On the Gofundme page, Sinead states: “I am fundraising for my lovely friend and her son who have experienced a house fire, causing substantial fire and smoke damage to her property.

“Luckily, all people made it out safely but they have very sadly lost their beloved family pet along with many personal items.

“All kitchen appliances and living room furniture are damaged beyond repair and their clothes and other items are severely smoke and water damaged.

“We are trying to raise as much money as we can so that they can rebuild their lives.”

The appeal has raised £540 so far and has a target of £1,600.

The Gofundme page is here https://www.gofundme.com/f/house-fire-devastation

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire fire service stated: “At 11.13pm on Friday (15) crews from Dogsthorpe and Stanground were called to a house fire on Broadway in Yaxley.

"Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used hose reels to extinguish the fire before returning to their stations by 1.50am.

“The cause of the fire was accidental.”