A mum who narrowly escaped a devastating house fire with her young children has spoken of her devastation.
Carly Thompson was relaxing at home with son Jolan, eight, and Billie Rose, two, when a blaze broke out just after 4pm on Tuesday (January 7).
The 33-year-old, who lives on Platting Road in Wythenshawe, says she was sitting in her living room when Jolan arrived home from school.
The youngster went to grab a chocolate bar from the fridge when the fire alarm started going off. Panicked, Carly, who cares for Jolan full time, ran to the kitchen where she saw flames around the boiler.
The aftermath of the fire
(Image: Carly Thompson)
As the inferno quickly spread, Jolan, who has autism, ran upstairs and locked himself in the family bathroom. Carly managed to get both her children to safety and sought refuge at a nearby neighbour’s house.
Thanks to the quick-thinking actions of the neighbour, who shut the living room door of the property, the front of the house was spared.
However, the kitchen was completely destroyed and the rest of the home was flooded from the efforts to extinguish the flames.
All that is left of the home
(Image: Carly Thompson)
Although fire crews arrived quickly to put out the blaze, nearly all of the family’s belongings were lost. Carly and her children are now living in her mum’s two-bedroom house while they wait to be relocated.
Carly can recall the moment she saw the flames. “I went into the kitchen and saw the little flames spreading,” she told the Manchester Evening News.
“There was a bit of clutter in between the boiler and the fridge. I panicked. My heart was racing and I didn’t know what to do. All I could think was that I needed to get the kids out.
Fire crews at the scene
(Image: Carly Thompson)
“Someone shut the living room door and luckily the fire didn’t spread there. The living room wasn’t as badly damaged, so I managed to salvage a few of the kids’ teddies and toys.
“The majority of our belongings are gone. If the neighbour hadn’t shut that door, the entire front of the house would’ve gone too. The kitchen is just absolutely destroyed. The rest of the house is flooded because of all the water used to put out the fire.
“When the fire brigade turned up, they put the fire out. At that point, my son was with one neighbour, and my daughter was with another. I was out the front and I was frantic; it’s all such a blur.
Carly had to be treated for smoke inhalation
(Image: Carly Thompson)
“I broke down in absolute tears, just watching my house burn. It was horrific – I can’t even put into words how I feel about it all.”
While an investigation into the fire is still ongoing, Carly believes it may have started near the boiler.
The mum, who spent a night in hospital due to smoke inhalation, added: “I think I’m still a bit numb. I saw the house yesterday and it really threw me.
“I think I went too soon, to be honest. I’m just devastated. I don’t know how to feel about it all. It’s just horrific – absolutely horrific.
Fire crews at the scene
(Image: Carly Thompson)
“We didn’t have anything. The only things I had were the clothes on my back – my pyjamas and my dressing gown. My kids only had their pyjamas – no socks, no shoes. I’ve never been through anything like this in my life.
“Now we’re all cooped up in my mum’s two-bedroom house – six of us in total. It’s so stressful.”
Carly has now set up a GoFundMe appeal to help her family get back on their feet. To donate, follow the link by clicking here.
“The support I’ve been receiving is mind-blowing,” she said. “From the GoFundMe page to all my friends and family messaging me.
“My son’s teacher even turned up at my mum’s house this morning with two big bags of clothes for us. They’d done a rally at school and put together some money. They went out and got us loads of bits, bless them.
Nothing was left to salvage
(Image: Carly Thompson)
“We can’t live there anymore. It’s going to take 12 months to fix and I’m devastated because I love that house. I love the area – I have a good support network on the street.
“Right now, I feel so unsettled. I’m at my mum’s and everything feels up in the air. I’m struggling to explain how I feel. I just feel out of sorts.
“I’ve come to terms with the fact I’ve lost my house, but I’m distraught for my kids and the fact we have to move. It’s such a big change, and my son doesn’t adapt to change very well.”