Hero mum saves kids moments before faulty fridge starts horror kitchen blaze
A quick-thinking mum pulled her five kids to safety minutes before a fridge fire took hold of their kitchen.
Theresa Ironmonger had been outside gardening at their Dumfries and Galloway property when she heard a faint popping noise coming from somewhere in the kitchen.
The 32-year-old thought a fuse had blown but soon noticed a thin trail of smoke in the kitchen and the smell of burning, The Daily Record reported.
She then wasted no time in rushing Nathan, 13, Samuel, 11, Xander, nine, Benjamin, four and little Mirryn, three, out the Haugh of Urr house alongside the family pets.
She then called the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service but feared she was being a ‘drama queen’ and would be laughed at when the emergency crews arrived.
But, within ten minutes, the fierce fire had taken hold in the kitchen – sending a thick plume of black smoke out the door as the horrified family watched on.
Describing the drama, which took place on August 10, Theresa said she smelled something 'like burning electrics,' and checked her outhouse tumble dryer, which was perfectly fine.
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“Now, at that point I could have just let it go. I don't know why I didn't, maybe because I'm quite a stubborn character, or maybe because I'm autistic myself and just had to know what that smell was.
“But when I went back inside to investigate I noticed the smallest, tiniest trail of smoke – as if someone had lit a cigarette," she said.
The suspicious mum then called the fire service.
She said: "I wholly expected them to come out, find a popped fuse and laugh at me because I was being a bit of a drama queen. Then as I waited the smoke started to drift out the door.
“Then there were two loud pops and the smoke went black and began to pour out the door. I was hysterical.
“The fire engines roared up, the firemen dismounted and dressed honestly with military precision and speed.
“They quickly turned off gas, electricity, removed anything that might be explosive, moved me and the kids to safety and set about tackling what was now a full-blown blaze in the kitchen.
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“After they said it was so hot they couldn't initially get in the door."
Reflecting on what could have been, Theresa said: "If I had just ignored that noise, I would have been outside and my kids trapped inside, it doesn't bear thinking about."
“The fire marshal said it was only about five minutes away from getting into the insulation in the loft and then the whole house would have been gone," she said.
The family, who rent the property, are now staying with relatives in the area while they wait for repair work to be carried out.
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