Leeds family left 'homeless' after horrendous house fire thanks community for 'incredible' support
A Leeds family who have been left homeless after their house burnt down in a “horrendous” fire have thanked residents for their support.
The house fire on Sandway Grove in Cross Gates last Monday (June 3) has left the family of five “without a home or any possessions”.
The fire was caused accidentally when a gas cannister exploded in the garage but the family have been unable to make a claim to their insurance company.
Neighbours, residents and people who don’t know the family - made up of Patrick Mullen, Emma Lawton and their three children aged 22, 17 and nine - have raised thousands of pounds to help them and offered their possession and services to help get them back on their feet.
Ms Lawton told the YEP that her and Mr Mullen were down in London when they received the news about the blaze at around 12.30pm.
Mr Mullen was working at the time and Ms Lawton had taken the opportunity to take her nine-year-old son Harry to the Shrek’s Adventure! tour.
She said: “We were having a really good time and then Patrick phoned me and told me to meet him, saying that something had happened.
“I didn’t know what it was but could tell it was something bad.”
The couple’s neighbour Lisa Auty and others had contacted them to let them know that the fire had started and Ms Lawton said that she saw pictures and videos of the ongoing incident on social media as she came home.
“In a way it prepared us for what was to come”, she said.
After dropping Harry off with her grandfather, Ms Lawton said that her and Mr Mullen went to the property to assess the scale of the damage.
She said: “It was horrendous. It was really bad.
“The fire started in the garage and then spread to the kitchen. It was put out but the smoke damage had ruined pretty much everything upstairs.”
Since the fire the family has being staying at Ms Lawton’s parent’s home and they have gradually told Harry about the news.
“He knows there’s been a fire”, she said. “He’s upset about it but he’s handled it well to say he’s nine.”
Since the fire a GoFundMe page has been set up Harry’s football coach that has received nearly £5,000. Others in the neighbourhood have offered to help rebuild and decorate the house.
Ms Lawton said: “It’s been really nice. It goes to show that there really are some good people out there. You don’t realise it until you are in this sort of situation.
“The last week has been horrendous but things have gotten better with the help we’ve had.”