£1,900 raised after father and son had to jump from bedroom windows in Shrewsbury house fire
A father and his teenage son had to jump from their bedroom windows as fire tore through their Shrewsbury home.
Wayne and Ethan Hicks were woken by the smoke alarm which firefighters say saved their lives.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Friday and a Go Fund Me page has now been launch to help them rebuild their lives.
Older son, Jay Hicks said a fire was started outside the back door of the property.
"My step-mum, Emma, was on her way home from work but my dad and my brother were asleep in their bedrooms," he said.
"The smoke alarm woke them and Dad could smell smoke. He looked outside and saw the flames. They couldn't get downstairs because of the fire and they just had to jump."
He said luckily the pair were unharmed.
"The fire service said that if it had been a few minutes later they could have died in their beds because of the effects of the smoke," he said.
With no house insurance he said the three had been left with absolutely nothing. They had been given emergency accommodation in a hotel.
Overwhelmed
"They have no clothes and everything in the house has been completely destroyed. It's all the sentimental things as well that can't be replaced, photographs, jewellery, Emma's wedding dress," he added.
Jay launched a Go Fund Me online appeal page to help his family, gofundme.com/f/e65m8-house-fire, and said he had been amazed at the response.
"I thought we might raise £500 to give them a start but already the figure reached almost £2,000," he said.
"We are already so overwhelmed with the support we have received. My parents themselves would not ask for anything but as their children we are asking for help on their behalf.
"We are all still coming to terms with what happened that night. Physically we may be fine but psychologically we are going to need time to deal with it all."
During the blaze firefighters had to break into the neighbouring house and rescue the elderly occupant.
"She is deaf and had not heard the smoke alarm. It is awful to think what might have happened not only to my family but to the neighbours as well," Jay said.
The neighbour was assessed by paramedics but did not need hospital treatment.
Six fire crews took almost four hours to bring the fierce blaze under control.
West Mercia police and fire service investigation officers are investigating the cause of the fire and anyone with information should contact the police on 101 or use Crimestoppers, 0800 555111.
