Family escape fire at Southsea house

The blaze sparked at about 4.20am in Cadnam Road, Southsea.

A mother and five children, aged between 14 and 11 months, were asleep when the fire erupted in the loft of their house.

The 32-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, said she was horrified by the emergency.

‘We just couldn’t believe it,’ she said.

‘The fire engulfed everything so quickly.

‘We tried to fight it but there wasn’t any chance.’

Within minutes of the family calling 999 three fire crews were on the scene, supported by paramedics and members of the Red Cross, she added.

Firefighters used high-pressure hose reels to extinguish the blaze and remained at the scene for about two hours.

Much of the loft was damaged by heat and smoke.

The fire is thought to have been caused by a faulty halogen heater.

The 32-year-old woman added she and her children and stepchildren were lucky to be alive.

‘We bought the heater two days ago,’ added the stay-at-home mum.

‘I’ll never buy one of them ever again after this.

‘We’re just trying to pick up the pieces right now and get back to some sort of normality.’