A family in Stone has been left temporarily homeless after a fire broke out in a children’s bedroom, causing extensive smoke and water damage across their home.
The fire started on the evening of Monday 29 December, at a property on Stone’s Priory Estate.
Mum of four, Alisha Pullen told A Little Bit of Stone:
“The fire started in the three boys’ bedroom at around 6.20 pm, when the smoke alarms in our house went off and I went upstairs to investigate.”
“Within seconds the fire just worsened,” she said.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended and brought the fire under control, but not before smoke spread throughout most of the house. Water used to extinguish the fire then caused further damage downstairs, particularly in the living room.
Ms Pullen said the kitchen was the only room largely unaffected.
The fire comes after what she described as an already difficult year. She had recently replaced carpets and beds and redecorated the house in an effort to create a more stable home environment for her children.
At present, the family is split across different addresses. Ms Pullen is staying with a friend along with two of her children, while her other two children are being looked after by friends.
She is now waiting for housing officers to assess the property and arrange temporary accommodation. That assessment is due to take place on Friday, once the extent of the damage and likely repair timescale are confirmed.
A hotel has not been offered due to space constraints and the ages of the children, which mean they cannot be accommodated safely in a single room.
While donations of clothes and items for the children initially came in quickly from local residents, Ms Pullen said she now has enough physical items and is incredibly grateful for the response.
Speaking about the response from the local community, Ms Pullen told us,
“Thank you to our kind and lovely local community for the overwhelming generosity, support, and kind words following the devastating fire at our home a few nights ago.
The outpouring of love has been truly heartwarming and has meant more to us than we can express.
In such a difficult time, your compassion and care have reminded us how fortunate we are to be part of such an incredible community. We are beyond thankful to each and every one of you.”
She added that despite the damage, she remains focused on what matters most.
“I’m just thankful we are all alive and safe. As heartbreaking as it all is, it could have been a whole lot worse.”
A link to the GoFundMe appeal is included below for anyone who wishes to support the family as they begin the process of rebuilding.
GoFundMe – https://gofund.me/135ed19dd
