Young Peterborough family have ‘lost everything’ in house fire

Chloe Devine (30) and her partner Nicky Ridge (33) and one-year-old daughter Harper were left with next to nothing.

The fire which happened in the early hours of the morning, left the young family ‘devastated’ as they had only spent a matter of weeks in their new family home in Arundel Road, Walton.

The fire is believed to have been started by a fault in their fridge freezer, and Nicky was left with some third degree burns on his hands and legs after trying to tackle the blaze when it broke out.

Chloe said: “We were woken up at 4.40am by smoke alarms.

“Flames were coming out of the ice dispenser. Nicky attempted to put the flames out but the fire got too big, so quickly.

“We quickly had to get our one-year-old daughter out of the house as we feared there was going to be an explosion and our lives were in a lot of danger.

The family didn’t manage to save many of their possesions the fire and are now living at Chloe’s parents home on a blow up bed with little Harper in a travel cot.

“Since the fire we’ve had a rough time with anxiety, nightmares and hearing alarms,” said Chloe.

“Everything is smoke damaged. We have no other furniture, we’re trying to source alternative accommodation but it’s proving difficult at the moment”

Their friends and relatives rallied behind the family and have raised £1,675 to help them get back on their feet through a JustGiving page online.

Though they have a long way to go, the support has been crucial to the couple.

A fire service spokesman said: “The family was woken in the early hours by a smoke alarm, which allowed them to escape the property and call 999. The house filled with smoke very quickly, so having the early warning from the alarm ensured they were not seriously hurt.

“This incident clearly shows the importance of having working smoke alarms. Installing alarms on each floor of a property, and testing them regularly, can make the difference and save lives.”

To donate to help the family: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/chloe-nicky-harper or email Chloe if you can offer any other help on: [email protected]