A devastating Boxing Day house fire in Gloucestershire has claimed the lives of a mother and her two young children, leaving a community in mourning and a father fighting for his family.
A Desperate Escape and Rescue Attempt
Emergency services were called to a property on Brimscombe Hill near Stroud at around 3am on Friday 26 December. The father, a serving officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary, managed to escape the blaze. He was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for treatment.
Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher revealed that both parents were woken by the fire and tried to reach their children. The father escaped through a bathroom window and made a desperate attempt to climb back into the house through the children's bedroom window. However, he was beaten back by the "ferocity and heat" of the flames.
Recovery Operation and Community Grief
The victims were a woman in her 40s, her seven-year-old daughter, and her four-year-old son. Police confirmed that the bodies of the mother and one child were recovered on Sunday, 28 December. Formal identification is yet to take place.
Recovery teams are proceeding with extreme caution as they work to retrieve the body of the second child, due to the unstable condition of the fire-ravaged property. Police have stated that the fire is not believed to have suspicious origins and the coroner has been informed.
Heartfelt Tributes from the Community
Stroud MP Simon Opher described the incident as a "tragedy for the whole community." He expressed his profound sympathy, stating: "Our hearts go out to those involved. We will do what we can to support the victims and their families."
He also paid tribute to the emergency services, acknowledging the deep impact such events have on responders and thanking them for their professionalism.
The fire is understood to have started on the ground floor of the home before spreading rapidly. An investigation into the exact cause is ongoing.
