Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Partly cloudyNews
| 
Submit Comments
NOWHERE to go... Lisa Cragg with children Amy and Harry outside the wreckage of their home.
Family left homeless after fleeing inferno
Bethan Dorsett12/12/2006
A FAMILY of four have been left homeless after fleeing a devastating fire.
Neil and Lisa Cragg and their children, 11-year-old Amy and Harry, aged nine, had to run for their lives after an inferno ripped through their home in Rhodes Street, Smallbridge.
When they went back they found the roof missing and every room badly damaged by smoke.
Mr Cragg told of how the blaze took hold of the house within a matter of minutes last Tuesday.
It took over four hours to put out and firefighters had to close nearby Halifax Road while they brought in specialist equipment from Oldham.
"I had been watching the football on television when I heard a pop," said the 34-year-old. "The gas meter was on fire so I knew I had to get everyone out quickly.
"It was OK at first, but as I pushed Lisa out I could feel the flames burning above my head.
"Our dog Tyler got out but I had to go back to rescue our pup, Ollie.
"The fire had spread in minutes and the house was filled with smoke and heat.
"Amy had been in bed all day because she was ill, so it was lucky I had asked her to come downstairs to watch TV with us.
"If she would have been in bed, asleep it could have been far worse."
While the youngsters have been able to return to Kentmere Primary School, the family remains in limbo with Mr Cragg staying with his brother in Smithy Bridge while his wife and children are with her mother in Shore.
"It has been devastating," added Mr Cragg. "We have lost everything, but our family and friends have been amazing, providing us with clothes and other things.
"My son wanted to go back and have a look at the house, but when he arrived he didn't want to go inside because he found it upsetting.
"We don't know what we will do now, the house is still a state.
"The council say they may have found us a house nearby, but they don't know what condition it is in."
Most recent 1 of 1 user comments
Got an opinion you want to share?| Card | BT Fee |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Capital One Low Rate Balance Transfer | 1.7% |
| Capital One Low Rate Platinum | HASH(0x2abf5375c3a0) |
| Capital One Fixed Rate Card | 0.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
5.50% |
|
PRINCIPALITY BS e-SAVER |
5.35% |
|
ANGLO IRISH BANK Easy Access Account Issue 2 |
5.25% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
2.75% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER Online Tracker |
4.75% |
|
BRADFORD & BINGLEY eSavings 6 |
4.60% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
4.00% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER eSaver - Issue 2 |
5.00% |
|
POST OFFICE Instant Saver |
3.75% |
13/12/2006 at 22:45