A mum and her four children have been left homeless after a devastating fire at a house in Middlesbrough.
Hayliegh Venis managed to flee to safety from the property on Deal Court in Grove Hill after a fire in the outhouse.
Fortunately no-one was injured. But the 25-year-old tearfully told how her newly-decorated home and all its contents have been left covered in soot from the flames.
“Everything is ruined,” she said. “All the kids clothes, shoes, it all stinks of smoke.
“I’d been decorating, I’d just done the passage and stairs and painted the front room. But everything is black.”
The fire is believed to have started in an outhouse at about 8.20pm last night.
Hayliegh was at home with her three eldest children, Harvey, eight, and his friend Bailey, five-year-old Marshall and three-year-old Dawson.
The mum had quickly ran over to her friend’s house opposite when she noticed the smell of smoke in the air.
“It was like burnt toast. It wasn’t strong and I didn’t think anything of it,” she said.
“Then someone who I didn’t know was shouting there was a fire at the back of my house.
“I could see lots of black smoke and started screaming trying to get the back door open. I was going to try and put it out but I’m so glad I couldn’t open the door or I’d have had no face left.
“The two little ones were in bed and Harvey and my friend’s little boy Bailey was round playing in the front room.
“My daughter Bella was out.
“The boys ran out and I ran upstairs and grabbed Dawson and Marshall. They were hysterical because I’d dragged them out of bed.
“By the time I got the kids down there were flames coming through the door.
“I was in a such a panic, shouting for someone to call the fire brigade.”
Two fire engines from Middlesbrough and one from the Marine Fire Station rushed to the scene and extinguished the flames.
The outhouse was destroyed by the fire and the flames also damaged the kitchen and hallway. The rest of the house was left severely smoke-logged.
Hayliegh is at a loss as to how the fire started.
“I’ve no idea. It’s filled with my ex-partner’s crap - I’d been waiting to get a skip to get rid of it all.
“I never go in it, last time I opened it was last Friday.
She is unable to return inside the house to start until a fire investigation is complete.
The children have been staying with her mum and she has been with a neighbour while the investigations take place.
Despite the devastation, brave Hayliegh says she will battle on and is determined to stay at the property.
“This is my home,” she said. “I’ve been here for four years and five months and I’m not moving.”
“I want to get back in to see what is left but I don’t think much there is much.
“All the kids shoes are ruined, my little girl’s white coat is black.”
The community of Grove Hill is already rallying round for her.
People have offered to help with washing and redecorating and donations of clothes, toys and furniture are being taken to the Community Hub on Bishopton Road.
Donna Marshall from the Hub said: “One thing about Grove Hill is, in a crisis this community pulls together and we help each other out so i’m asking for help.”
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