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Manchester Evening News

A toy car went pop and they had to flee for their lives

A mum saved her children from harm but has been left with 'not much'

Jessica's children Hunter (left) and Reuben (right)(Image: Gofundme)

A Salford family were forced to flee for their lives after a toy car sparked a blaze which engulfed their entire house.

Mum Jessica and her two kids have now had to move out of their home in Little Hulton after it was badly damaged.


Jessica had been hanging out the washing in the back garden on Sunday (May 11) when disaster struck. Her son Reuben, 3, had been playing with the electric toy when she heard a 'popping sound'.


Within minutes, the shed had caught fire, with the flames then spreading to the house.

Jessica's mum Hayley told the Mirror how her daughter bravely grabbed Reuben and her other son Hunter, 6, before managing to escape the blaze.

The blaze engfulfed their home(Image: Mirror/GoFundMe)
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"Jessica heard a pop and then there was a bang and it just burst into flames, it was actually next to the shed when it went up, so the shed automatically caught fire as well," she said.

She grabbed the little boys - one was in the living room, the other was outside in the back garden.

The family say that no sooner than when she got in the house, it was filled with smoke, and she couldn't see where her other little boy was. Thankfully, she managed to locate him and get him out in time.


"It then set fire to all the fences, the windows burst and it went through the back of the house" Hayley said.

The flames spread from the shed to the house itself(Image: Mirror/GoFundMe)

The young family have since moved from the council property to an AirBnB home and it is unclear when they might be able to return to the house due to extensive smoke damage, the fire tearing at the roof and even melting the pipe to the boiler.


"She's basically been left with not much. We've had to get clothes off relatives, friends and famil" Hayley added.

She said the majority of the family's belongings were lost in the fire but that fortunately they managed to escape without suffering any serious injuries.

"It actually spread to the neighbour's property as well, their windows blew," Hayley added. "They have two young children. They've moved out as well [and are] living in another property at the minute.


"We're not sure [if it was caused] by the heat from the sun or if it was faulty itself, but it was a hot day when he was out in the garden playing.

They have now had to move out (Image: Mirror/GoFundMe)

"We're not sure how it started, just that it was from the electric car the got hot and burst into flames. She has been left with nothing."


A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the family. Hayley praised the local community who have donated clothes to the family as well as the boys' school who have also been in touch with them to help.

"Things can be replaced but people can't can they," Hayley added. "It could have been so much worse if Reuben was still in the car."

Friend Paige Robinson launched the fundraising campaign, which at the time of writing had raised £560 of its £2,000 target.


Paige said: "They've lost everything due to the black smoke and could be placed In a property anywhere with no furniture and belongings.

"Jess is a beautiful girl her home is everyone's home and she currently has bigger situations going on in her family life and I just don't want money and stuff to be a stress or pressure on her mind.

"She would do anything for anyone and her little boys are left petrified without a home."

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A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “At around 4.35pm on Sunday 11 May, three fire engines from Farnworth and Bolton North fire stations attended a house fire on Upland Drive, Worsley.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus arrived quickly and used two hose reels to extinguish the fire which involved a children's electric car and spread to the house from the garden.

"Crews used specialist equipment including a thermal imaging camera and electric fan to make the area was safe, and departed after one hour in attendance."

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