Donations flood in for Halifax family left with nothing after horrendous fire at their home

As reported by the Courier, Sara Atkins and her five children were lucky to escape unharmed after the huge blaze at their home on Grove Park in Ovenden on Thursday night.

“We had just run out of the door when it went boom,” said Sara.

"If my daughter hadn’t woken me up, we’d be dead.”

The fire destroyed all of their belongings, including clothes, toys and irreplaceable mementoes.

An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family, and has so far raised almost £1,200.

“They deserve all the help they can get,” said one donor.

Another said: “So sorry this has happened to you.”

Firefighters have told Sara it was started by a dryer which was not even in use at the time but was plugged in.

She was woken by her 17-year-old daughter Tash, who had smelt smoke coming from downstairs.

"She thought it was one of the other kids burning toast at first,” said Sara. “But then she said it got worse and when she went downstairs, she saw the dryer on fire.

"She rushed into my room and woke me up. I grabbed my phone and rang 999 and she went upstairs and got the other kids up."

The fire gutted the ground floor of their home, including Sara’s bedroom, and caused severe damage to the upstairs.

To donate, visit the online appeal HERE