A family-of-four had a narrow escape when their home went up in flames after a Christmas decoration caught fire.
Callum Watkins and his wife Bethan Watkins quickly grabbed their two sons, four-year-old Harri, and two-year-old Hadley Rhys, and escaped the inferno with mere moments to spare.
The terrifying ordeal unfolded on Sunday night, just as the couple had returned from a birthday party and put their kids to bed. A Christmas decoration fell onto a candle, sparking the fire.
Callum, 29, recounted: “We were in the home and a fire broke out. Our two children were upstairs asleep. We were also upstairs and a Christmas decoration fell down on a candle and a fire broke out.”
Earlier in the day, both children celebrated at a birthday bash, after which the family was winding down for the evening in their Llanelli residence in Carmarthenshire when disaster struck. Recalling those tense moments, Callum explained: “My partner had gone upstairs and was settling down. I followed up shortly to go and have a shower and that’s when it must have happened.”
For Callum, safeguarding his family was paramount. He described the harrowing experience, saying: “It was trying to work out how to keep my children safe, my wife safe, and on how to get out of the property. It was a lot of mixed emotions, a lot of confusion really, but my main priority was to get my family out of the house.”
He made an urgent call to the fire service, who later told him that his family was a mere 90 seconds from being trapped inside their home, reports Wales Online. Callum recounted: “We were on the phone with the fire brigade and they advised us to stay upstairs with the bedroom window open.”
“I went downstairs to check if there was a safe passage out and it was. So I grabbed my children and my wife and we exited the house and went to a neighbour’s house where the children were kept safe and warm. When the fire service attended they explained to us that if we were in 90 seconds longer it was quite possible we couldn’t have got out of the property after that.”
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Callum had to be rushed to a hospital for smoke inhalation while his wife and children were also checked out. He said: “We were in the hospital until the early hours of Monday.” The couple have been staying in a hotel since which will cost them a total of £240 until Saturday while the children were sent to be with their grandparents initially.
The dad said: “So my children stayed with their grandparents on Monday and my wife and I stayed in a hotel and checked out of it on Monday to have our children back from Tuesday. We’re staying in a hotel until Saturday as we try to sort out a different accommodation where we’ll be staying after Saturday.”
The fire and the smoke resulting from it has damaged a lot of the family’s belongings like carpets, furniture, children’s toys, clothes, and mattresses. Despite the difficulties he children have been dealing well with the situation. Callum said: “They’re really good. My four-year-old is a lot more aware than my two-year-old so he’s asking a lot of questions. My four-year-old’s school uniform has also been totally damaged by the fire along with the other damage.”
The family is grateful to those who have helped them during this ordeal. Callum said: “The local community has been absolutely amazing. Everybody rallied together to try and help so that’s been quite helpful really. Our friends and family are very supportive as well, helping in whatever way they can.”
Callum also sounded a notion of caution with more and more people set to decorate their homes in the coming weeks. “I just advise people to be careful with having candles lit on Christmas decorations and things like that. And I just ask if there’s anyone who could kindly help in any way that would be very much appreciated.”
While Bethan, 29, works in the care sector Callum said the ordeal came with him unemployed having previously worked in hospitality. He added: “Just any help or offers of employment would be greatly appreciated.” The couple have also set up a GoFundMe page, and you can donate here.
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