Home in Ryhall, Rutland suffered fire just hours after owners exchanged contracts ahead of move to Australia
A mum is urging people to check their smoke detectors after her family escaped a house fire.
The Banfield’s home in Ryhall caught fire in the early hours of Saturday (July 8), just hours after the house was sold ahead of a move to Australia.
Ashley Banfield, who was sleeping on the sofa because his wife Victoria had a bad cough, was woken by the sound of ‘banging and popping’ at about 1am.
He opened the back door to see the grass and shed on fire, and quickly called 999.
Ashley, 52, woke up his wife, two children William, 10, Phoebe, nine, and dachshund Fred to get them all out the house. It was at this point the smoke alarm went off.
“I can’t encourage people to check their smoke alarms enough,” said Victoria.
“If my husband hadn’t been sleeping downstairs or if the smoke alarms hadn’t gone off then it could have been incredibly serious.
“We were all unaware of what was happening.
“Having watched back the neighbour’s CCTV and seen how quickly it went up, it doesn’t bear thinking about - especially with a young family.”
The fire spread quickly engulfing the fence, spreading to the outer edges of the house and a neighbour’s friend’s car.
Victoria said: “It was such an awful sight - we have poured our heart into renovating the house.
“We are literally about to emigrate to Australia and the house had exchanged contracts at 4pm on the Friday.
“When you’re waiting for the fire brigade you feel so helpless and can only watch while the fire gets hold more and more.
“It was devastating - more so that I and the kids had been fast asleep, totally unaware of what was happening.”
Crews from Stamford were first on the scene followed by the team from Oakham Fire Station.
“I dread to think what would have happened if the fire brigade were five minutes longer as it was so frightening how quickly it spread,” said Victoria, 42.
While waiting, people in Ryhall offered them a place to stay, warm clothes and cups of tea, and helped to keep the children entertained.
Fire crews were at the property for three hours putting the fire out, and also called in fire dog Ginny to rule out arson.
The house was left smoke damaged, the windows and back door perished and several rows of roof tiles have been removed.
The garden was also badly damaged by the fire.
It is believed a lithium battery in a solar panel motion sensor light in the shed had blown, resulting in the fire.
Victoria said: “We are just grateful that we are all OK and that our neighbours are all OK - that’s the main thing.
“The house can be repaired and put back to its original state.”
The insurers will be instructing professionals to survey the damage to the house – where the family have lived for three years.
The Banfield family are still planning to go ahead with their move at the beginning of August.