A mum-of-three has told of the moment she rushed back to her home after a neighbour called to say her house on fire. Gemma Willetts said she had to be restrained by firefighters as she attempted to get back into the house to rescue the family dog Bonnie, who miraculously survived the blaze after being carried from the flames unconscious and overcome with smoke.
Now, the community in South Bristol is rallying round the young mum, who is facing months of struggles to carry on with her family life, after her entire family was put up in a hotel in the city centre,
More than £1,000 has been donated to help the family, after Gemma’s sister Joanne started a GoFundMe page. Gemma said the response has been overwhelming.
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The fire broke out at lunchtime on Friday last week, June 2. Gemma had gone out for a short time but was alerted to the fire with a phone call. “I went out after 1pm and about 1.50pm there was a call from my neighbour and she just said ‘your house is on fire’. I got straight back in the car and was brought back and all I could think was ‘my dog is in there,” she said.
“I arrived and there was already one fire engine there. I’m getting hysterical and I tried to get the keys out and to go in the front door to get my dog, Bonnie. The firefighters had to stop me. I was getting more and more upset, it was just awful. I was just standing there out of the way, thinking I didn’t want to see the state of the dog if they brought her out dead.
“They got in and put the fire out and brought Bonnie out and they said she’s still alive but she was unconscious. They put an oxygen mask on her, and got us to rub her back and she came round, we took her to the vets and incredibly, all she’s needed are eye drops,” said Gemma.
But the family’s good fortune with their beloved pet is countered by the damage to their home and the circumstances which are now proving increasingly costly.
Gemma and her three boys who were living at the house in Hartcliffe last week are now being put up in temporary accommodation by Bristol City Council - and that’s a hotel room in the city centre.
It means a daily commute back for school, and living with no kitchen facilities. “We’re in a Travelodge and I don’t know what’s going to happen next. The council have said it could be months before the house is repaired and we can move back in, and I don’t know if they are going to find us somewhere else to move to temporarily while we wait, or we’ll just stay in a Travelodge.
"I am grateful, but it’s not ideal. You don’t realise how expensive losing everything is. There’s the fuel costs of going backwards and forwards, and we can’t do any cooking, so it’s eating out or eating unhealthily. We’ve lost everything really, all the clothes, all the furniture and toys.
“They think the fire was either caused by the fridge or the cooker, and the kitchen was gutted. The rest of the house was damaged with smoke and the water too from putting it out.
“You just don’t think something like this is going to happen to you, it’s been a real nightmare. I am just grateful none of the boys were in the house,” she added.
Gemma’s sister Joanne started the GoFundMe page and already, more than £1,000 has been pledged. “It’s amazing how many generous people there are, it’s a bit overwhelming. We’re going to keep most of it for when we can move back, because we’re going to need everything,” she added.
In setting up the GoFundMe page, Joanne said: "My sister has had an awful fire at her house leaving her and her three boys devastated and with not only their home gone but no essentials and everything in her home ruined and not salvageable. I’m doing this in hope it can help them get back on their feet a little bit. Anything at all is much appreciated thank you." To donate to the GoFundMe page set up for Gemma and her boys, click here.
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