A Somerset family have been left devastated after losing everything in a fire which ripped their home apart.
The blaze, which broke out on Friday, July 21, destroyed the property on Jubilee Close in Midsomer Norton leaving a young family of four with “nothing but the clothes on their back”.
Grandmother Lisa Turner, 52 said it was the “hardest thing ever” watching her daughter’s home burn down.
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The fire leaves Michaela Darch, 35, a full time unpaid career, partner Chase Sexton, 36, who owns Bath City Tyres, and children, Dylan 13, and Amira, 10 “effectively homeless”, says grandmother Lisa.
Michaela said: “It is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel at the moment but we’re so thankful to everyone who has donated clothes.
“It is something we never thought would happen to us.”
Grandmother Mrs Turner, from Bath, said: “Me and Michaela had just got into Bath to do some shopping when her phone rang.
“She turned to me and said ‘my house is on fire’ and rushed off home. I said should I come too and she said no you stay here a minute and follow after.
“At the time we had no idea what was in store, you don’t think of the worse and we weren’t expecting it to be like it was.
“It was about 20 minutes later she rang me screaming and I do mean screaming down the phone.
“I jumped in the car and when I got there I couldn’t even get down Withies Way as there were five ambulances there.
“As I walked down my daughter came running up to me and fell into my arms saying ‘its all gone, it’s all gone'”.
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Michaela Darch, 35, partner Chase Sexton, 36 and children, Dylan 13, and Amira 10
(Image: Lisa Turner)
She continued: “That’s when I saw it, the fire was raging and it had all gone so quickly. The fire investigators say they believe it to be faulty electrical extension lead.
“The fire fighters were so compassionate, they completely understood everything that we were feeling.
“Soon after my daughters partner Chase arrived too, thankfully the children were not there and didn’t see any of it as that would have been very hard for them.
“Dylan was very upset to hear that all his Chelsea football stuff had gone as he had a few signed things after working on a project as school that got sent to the club, to a 13-year-old that is his greatest possession. It been very difficult for Amira to understand.”
The fire destroyed everything inside the property
(Image: Lisa Turner)
The property is owned by Sovereign Housing Association and the family have been put up in Holiday Inn in Bath as a temporary fix.
Mrs Turner said: “The sad thing is it will be difficult to find a new house now.
“They have been put into the Holiday Inn in Bath – but of course they don’t have family rooms as they’re fully booked so they all had to go in separate rooms.
“Sovereign were right over there on the day and have been helping as much as they can.
“I did have the kids staying with me to start but they needed their mum and she needed them too.
“It is absolutely devastating for them all, its horrific. The house and all their belongings are completely gone.
Everything was destroyed
(Image: Lisa Turner)
“But what has been lovely is so many people have reached out to help – neighbours donating bits and pieces, toys for the kids to play with as they walked away from that fire with nothing but the clothes on their backs – not even a phone charger.
“It has been good to see the kindness of people. My own sister Deb and nephew Scott have been great too.
“You never think that this would happen to you or your family. In all my 52 years I’ve never seen a house burnt down like that.
“Standing their watching it with Michaela was terrible. The absolute destruction of it all and how quickly it went up.
“For me speaking as a mum, to see your child in that kind of pain, when there is nothing that you can do is awful. We’re just lucky that no one got hurt.
The roof caved in and the windows blew out
(Image: Lisa Turner)
“We’re just trying to piece together what is left but of course its a huge expense – you have to buy everything again, costs everywhere.
“Michaela is a full time carer for my dad, Frederick Mills, who is 95 and who has terminal cancer, so this is the last thing we need.”
Mrs Turner has set up a GoFundMe to help the family with the cost of repairing their lives.
At the time of writing it has raised £2,314.
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
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