A mum was trapped at the front of her burning home as her little girl played in the garden behind after a terrifying blaze broke out.
Jasmine Somerville desperately tried to reach her daughter Amelia as flames ripped through her North Shields house. Thankfully the seven-year-old and her cousin were pulled to safety by a neighbour.
But the blaze, which started after tea towels left on the hob caught fire, has destroyed Jasmine's home and all the family's possessions.
Today the mum-of-one has told of her devastation at losing everything, and her relief that her daughter escaped unhurt.
Jasmine, 30, said: "It's horrendous. That was our home and now it's just a black shell. I know accidents happen but it was one of the scariest experiences of my life."
Jasmine was at the front of her home, on Waterville Road on North Shields ' Meadow Well estate, when the blaze broke out just before 1pm on Saturday. Meanwhile Amelia and Jasmine's niece, also aged seven, were playing together in the back garden.
"My little niece just screamed 'fire' so I ran in the house and seen the flames," she explained. "I just ran out. I didn't know what to do. I was at the front and the kids were at the back."
After realising the blaze was in the kitchen, at the back of the house Jasmine discovered there was no way to reach the children.
"The kitchen is at the back and they were really close to the fire, she continued. "I just wanted to save the kids and keep them safe. All I could think was about how I was going to get them out."
Thankfully a neighbour who had been cutting his grass at the time realised what was going on and was able to pull the little girls to safety over the fence. "I'm just so grateful to him," said Jasmine.
Crews from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) were quickly at the scene and extinguished the blaze. But the house that had been Jasmine and Amelia's home is now nothing more than a blackened shell.
The mum and daughter are now staying with family until they find a new home. But all their possessions, including clothes and toys have been destroyed by the smoke and flames.
Yet as Jasmine comes to terms with the devastating loss, she is simply thankful that the fire did not break out overnight when she and Amelia would have been asleep upstairs.
"I'm just pleased it happened when it did," she said. "Everything is destroyed, everything is gone. The only thing I saved was a teddy that I have had since I was a baby."
Since the fire the Meadow Well community have come together to help Jasmine and Amelia get back on their feet with local neighbours donating toys and clothes.
Jasmine added: "I'm so grateful to everyone. The Meadow Well community have done marvellous.
Firefighters believe the fire was started by a box of tea towels that were left on top of an electric hob in the kitchen. And now one of TWFRS’s senior officers who attended the scene issued a warning about the dangers of leaving items on hobs.
Group Manager Steve Burdis, Head of Service Delivery North, said: “This fire has caused such significant damage to this family’s home we are so glad that they are safe and well.
“I want to thank our Fire Control staff and our two crews from Tynemouth Community Fire station for their hard work to bring the blaze under control. Although this fire was an accident, we want to remind the public about the dangers of leaving combustible materials on your hob.
“Boxes, tea towels, oven mitts can all catch fire very easily and cause devastating damage like we’ve seen in this instance. Electric hobs can turn on when not switched off properly so it is far safer to always keep the area clear.
“If you are unlucky enough to fall victim to a fire then get out of the building and call 999 but follow one important piece of advice. Always shut internal and external doors if you can – this can help contain the fire and reduce the overall damage to your property. Whatever happens, we will always be there when you need us.”
TWFRS recently launched their 'Lifesaver' campaign urging people to call them if they know someone who could benefit from a home visit.
These visits can include the fitting of smoke alarms in the right places in your home, organising an evacuation plan, or other fire safety prevention measures. To organise a safe and well home visit, call TWFRS's Prevention team on 0800 0327777 or you can fill in the enquiry form on their website by visiting www.twfire.gov.uk/safety-advice.
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