'House of horrors': Sheffield family 'loses everything' after home destroyed by fire

A family home in Sheffield was devastated by fire caused electrical fault – now mum-of-one Rachael Shaw is urging others to take extra care after her experience.
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Rachael and her partner Dejaun had just gone to bed when the fire, involving an extension lead, began in the living room of her rented property in Parson Cross shortly before 11pm on Sunday, April 19.

The 28-year-old said she initially thought nothing of the smell of smoke – believing it was a garden fire outside – and was alerted to the severity of the situation after hearing a bang downstairs shortly followed by the smoke alarm.

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House fire in SheffieldHouse fire in Sheffield
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Realising the house was on fire, Dejaun rushed to get Olivia, Rachael’s six-year-old daughter, out of bed before the family escaped from a first-floor bedroom window and called South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Two crews from Rivelin, and Elm Lane Top, were quickly dispatched to the scene and used a ladder to free the family before extinguishing the blaze.

Thankfully, no-one was injured in the fire – however as Rachael did not have contents insurance she has been left to foot the bill and replace everything that has been damaged.

She is now speaking out to warn others to be wary when using electrical appliances as well as urging them to be sensible and make sure they are covered so they aren’t left in the same predicament.

Rachael Shaw is unable to live in the property in Parson Cross due to the fire damageRachael Shaw is unable to live in the property in Parson Cross due to the fire damage
Rachael Shaw is unable to live in the property in Parson Cross due to the fire damage
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Rachael said: “I got to the top of the stairs and I couldn’t see them for all the smoke. Our bedroom is at the front of our house so we opened the windows as wide as they’d go and Dejaun climbed out onto the bay window and got Olivia out with him.

“I just froze and sat on the windowsill and luckily the fire brigade were there within minutes. I can’t honestly remember how I felt, it was just pure fear and shock.”

Rachael and the family have been forced to temporarily move to her parents due to the fire damage.

She added: “Me and Dejaun walked round to the house the following day and it was just like a house of horrors, everything was just covered in thick, black soot. You could smell it from the path outside.

The fire is said to have been caused by a fault with the extension leadThe fire is said to have been caused by a fault with the extension lead
The fire is said to have been caused by a fault with the extension lead
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“Because of how quickly the fire brigade got there the fire was contained to just one corner but because it was burning plastic the smoke was really dark and thick and had covered the entire living room. There are also signs of smoke damage in the kitchen, bathroom, on the landing and the stairs.

“At that point I felt like I’d lost everything. I know I hadn’t as we got out alive, but it felt – and still feels – like I’ve lost everything. That’s my house, everything in there belonged to me or Dejaun, or our kids as he has three children who we have round regularly.

“You never think it’s going to happen to you, even in that split moment of me seeing the fire and reacting it just felt like a dream.

“When they do happen to you it has so much more of an effect – I keep asking myself, why did it happen to us? It’s not like the extension lead was completely overloaded. It was just a freak accident. If we had contents insurance it would have just made this entire experience just that little bit easier.”

Rachael, Dejaun and Olivia in happier times before the fireRachael, Dejaun and Olivia in happier times before the fire
Rachael, Dejaun and Olivia in happier times before the fire
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South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have confirmed the cause of the fire was due to a faulty extension lead.

The blaze has caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage, destroying the family’s sofa and other personal items.

Rachel said she is now eager to get back into the property and has set up a fundraising page to try and cover some of the costs as she is currently unable to work due to ill health.

“If you look at the property from the outside it’s like it’s just been left to rot,” the mum-of-one said. “We decided to set up the fundraising page to just try and get some help to replace the things that we’d lost.

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“I applied for help from the government for a hardship scheme to help with furniture, furnishings and things like that but they rejected my application. We’ve got no curtains left, it’s pretty much an empty living room and we’ve got to buy everything again to fill it.”

Rachael is hoping to raise £1,000 to be split equally between the house repairs and the Yorkshire and Humberside branch of The Fire Fighters Charity to thank those who saved her family.

Thankfully Rachael, Dejaun and Olivia managed to escape the fire at the property in Parson CrossThankfully Rachael, Dejaun and Olivia managed to escape the fire at the property in Parson Cross
Thankfully Rachael, Dejaun and Olivia managed to escape the fire at the property in Parson Cross

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