Pair rescue disabled mum and kids after bonfire spread out of control in Clacton

Firefighters were called to Groom Park, Clacton, at about 7.10pm on Sunday after neighbours spotted the blaze.

Crews reported the bonfire had burned out of control and had spread to a shed and nearby fences.

Amy Ward-Wilkinson, 24, and her friend Bradley Johnston, 19, helped to rescue Amy’s mum Nicola Charalamban, 52, along with an elderly gentleman and youngsters attending an eight-year-old’s party.

Bradley said: “We had a bonfire in the garden and were on the verge of putting it out.

“We were returning outside and there was a loud knock on the door and a man shouted that the fence was on fire.

“I rushed outside and the heat hit me and burnt the hood of my coat.”

Amy added: “We grabbed my mum’s mobility scooter as it was close to the fence and we started shouting for everybody to get out of the house.”

The pair got everyone out of the house, including pet dog, Marley, and cat, Tinsel, and removed a gas cannister from the shed.

Bradley added:”We got Nicola out as quick as we could. She is disabled and there were other disabled people here.

“There was maybe up to 12 people here, including an old man who couldn’t walk, so we had to support him.

“I’m just glad that everybody is OK.

“We called the fire brigade and I tried to get into the shed to get to the hose but it was too hot.

“We did get a gas cannister out of it. It could have been much worse.”

Nicola added the family will have to move out of the property as the fire has caused damage to plumbing and the heat melted guttering and caused the windows to crack.

Two fire crews from Clacton were called to the scene and worked to extinguish the blaze by 7.20pm.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service issued safety advice to residents intending to set a bonfire following the incident. It includes making sure bonfires are well away from houses and to never leave it unattended.

“Bonfires can easily spread out of control,” a spokesman added.