Mother and children flee Telford bedroom blaze

Six-year-old Sheridan Poole raced downstairs to raise the alarm after the blaze started in the house in James Way, Donnington.

Her mum, Sara Griffiths, 26, today said the fire was started accidentally by a novelty lighter which Sheridan had discovered upstairs and believed was a toy.

She said she tried to put out the flames, but when she couldn't she got both Sheridan and her three-year-old brother Shelby out of the house and called the emergency services.

Within five minutes the bedroom had been engulfed in flames and it took fire crews from Wellington and Telford and an operational officer more than than half an hour to deal with the fire, which broke out shortly before 5.30pm yesterday.

As well as the damage to the bedroom the rest of the two-storey house suffered significant smoke damage and an investigation has been launched by fire officers.

The family do not yet know when they will be able to return to the house, which is owned by Telford & Wrekin Council. The cost of the damage has not been established.

Miss Griffiths said: "Once the fire had broken out Sheridan came running down the stairs straight away in a panic shouting 'fire'. I had a look and tried to put the fire out but I couldn't do it, so I rounded up the kids, got outside and dialled 999.

"Within five minutes the fire had taken hold of the bedroom and we were out of the house. The bedroom is a wipeout and the mattress has been ruined.

"The lighter didn't belong to us and we didn't even know it was in the house."

Station manager Guy Williams, of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The fire is under investigation.