Cash raised to help Telford family who lost everything in 'stray firework' blaze
A Telford family who lost everything in a house fire sparked on Halloween are being helped to rebuild their lives by their community.
The family of four watched their home burn down and had to leave with nothing but the clothes on their back after Saturday night's fire, which may have been started by a freak firework accident.
Telford people have responded by giving money, furniture and new clothes.
Jordan Offland, who lived at the house, in Woodside, with partner Gavin Hughes and her daughters Coby, 14, and Casey-Taylor, nine, said that the fire started in a master bedroom and quickly spread, gutting much of the upstairs and damaging whatever was left with smoke.
She was not at the house at the time, having been invited to a tea party with her brother and his children.
Mr Hughes stayed at home and tried to comfort the family's three dogs, which were distressed by the fireworks that have been an almost nightly spectacle in parts of Telford for the past week.
Suddenly he heard banging on the door and shouting about a fire, and rushed upstairs to see smoke billowing from the master bedroom.
Mr Hughes was able to get the dogs out safely, and Ms Offland dashed home to see the fire rip through the family home.
"It's devastating," she said later. "Nothing in the house is salvageable.
"I had a son who passed away 16 years ago; all his footprints, his handprints, his photos have all gone in the fire.
"We have just lost everything. My other half, his guitars which are his pride and joy, they're gone.
"They managed to contain it in the bedroom but it's all the smoke damage. The 10-minute drive up there felt like years."
The family of four was forced to move into a spare bedroom at Ms Offland's parents' house in Madeley before emergency accommodation was arranged. They picked up their new keys yesterday.
Their dogs have been staying elsewhere, while some of Ms Offland's friends have set up a fundraiser to help them get back on their feet, which has already seen £850 donated. Others have given them furniture for their next home.
Ms Offland said: "The amount of help we have had off people in the community is amazing. We have had clothes donated, furniture donated.
"I can't thank people enough for what they're doing for us. People have been so generous.
"It's been a hard time for everyone even before Covid, and people have gone out of their way to help us."
Learn more and donate at gofundme.com/f/fire-destroyed-everything-for-jordan-and-family.
It is thought a stray firework may have caused the blaze. At the time of writing, the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is investigating what sparked it.
A statement from West Mercia Police said: “At approximately 5.35pm on Saturday evening we were alerted by the fire service to a fire at a home in Woodside. An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway by the fire service to establish the cause.”
