Funding appeal launched after family lose everything in Woodford Halse house fires

Fire crews were called the fire, in Sidney Road, yesterday morning.

The blaze hit three properties.

Samantha Jones took to Facebook after the fire left her and her family with nothing.

She said: "I don't know how to put into words the love and support we received today.

"We were totally overwhelmed and humbled. I am not exactly sure what is going to happen in the coming weeks, but the property is certainly trashed. I hope our friends next door managed to get away with most of their possessions in tact.

"We left with literally nothing, not even shoes. The village has rallied around and provided a truly astonishing amount of clothing especially for the children who are the most important consideration. We've lost everything although the fire service did give me five minutes to grab what I could from the living room. As everyone has reminded us today, it is just things which can be ultimately replaced.

"I wanted to thank everyone including the fire crews and especially the kind fire chief who escorted me into what was left of my home and gave me words of comfort in this awful time."

Deborah Stratford has set up a Just Giving page that has already raised nearly £1,500 (Just Giving, search for Deborah Stratford).

Another resident has set up an appeal, donate at gofund.me/76b67009

It will be split between the three families who were affected by the incident.

Claire Morris, who lives in Woodford Halse, is now helping the families involved.

She said: "I've been gobsmacked by the amount of support offered and the way the community is pulling together to support one of their own.

"We have many people involved in the appeal collecting donations of items for the family. We are setting up a Go Fund Me page too.

"I'm also having a monthly online market and asking stallholders to donate part of their profit to the appeal. I'd be grateful for more stallholders and for people to attend the online market on August 1 if they could contact me to organise this."

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue, said: "Firefighters were called to an address at Sidney Road, in Woodford Halse, at 11.09am yesterday (July 18).

"Pumps from Brackley, Daventry, Towcester, Rothwell and Irthlingborough attended, as did the aerial rescue pump from Moulton. They were assisted by crews from Warwickshire and Oxfordshire. On arrival crews found a fire engulfing the second floor attic of a terraced property, with the fire spreading to three properties on the street. Crews isolated gas and electrics to the properties then used eight breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets and four main jets to douse the flames. The scene was cordoned off and crews used thermal imaging cameras to monitor hotspots until later that evening, when an inspection by fire investigation officers determined that the cause of the blaze was accidental. The three properties affected all suffered from fire, smoke and water damage."

Updates are posted on The Woodford Community Facebook page for anyone wanting to help or donate.