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Family of nine escape house fire: Uncle goes back in to save baby girl
A FAMILY was forced to flee as fire ripped through their home.
Zafar and Zabeda Iqbal and their six children, were in the upstairs rooms of their two-storey house when the fire took hold.
In the family's panic as they found their way through the thick black smoke their six-month- old baby was left behind.
The baby's uncle rushed inside to save the baby girl.
Outside the family watched in horror as flames raged the property in Newstead Terrace, Halifax, causing an estimated 60,000 damage and leaving them without a home.
Mum Zabeda, 39, said: "It is just a complete nightmare. There was smoke everywhere and we were panicking so much.
"There were nine of us in the house and the whole episode was just horrible. With all my children there it was every mother's nightmare.
"We were all upstairs at first and heard the alarm going off and then saw smoke coming from the living room.
"It was terrifying and we were in such a panic that the baby was left inside when we all first got out.
"Once everybody was safely outside we just stood in horror watching our house go up in flames.
"We were all very shocked and scared and just in a complete state of panic. "It was desperate watching everything you own being destroyed so quickly. We have lived in that house about 20 years."
The fire happened at 8.15am on Saturday and two fire crews from Halifax fire station and police rushed to the scene.
Mrs Iqbal, her husband Zafar, a driver at GW Private Hire, Sowerby Bridge, their four daughters aged between six months and nineteen, and two sons aged 17 and 16, were all uninjured.
Mrs Iqbal said: "I am thankful we are all alive. "I think the damage will be around 60,000, we are having to stay with family and I don't know how we will recover."
Two policeman were guarding the scene for most of the Saturday.
Mick Lythgow, crew manager of Halifax fire station, said: "It was a very serious fire.
"The family were lucky to get out.
"If they hadn't been alerted by a smoke alarm it could have been a very different story."
A man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
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Weather for Halifax
Friday 10 February 2012
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