Community rally to support family left devastated after fire

Darren Dean, his partner Sarah Teale, and their nine-week old son Brody, had to run from their home on South Street, Havercroft after a caravan on the drive burst into flames.

The flames quickly spread to their house at around 3.30pm on Tuesday.

The family said they have “lost everything in the fire” but people living in the close-knit village immediately rallied round to start a campaign to raise money to help them and collections for Brody.

Miss Teale, 36, said: “Darren was out in the caravan on the front and there was literally an explosion in his face. The caravan went up in less than a minute and then it spread to the house.

“Within about ten minutes all of the house was up in flames.

“I was in the house with Brody and Darren said the caravan was on fire. I turned around and all I could see was black smoke.

“I knew there were gas bottles in the caravan so I just got Brody and ran out with him in my arms to the back garden and then onto a field on the back of the house.

Three fire crews and police rushed to the scene but the house was already engulfed by flames by the time they arrived.

Mr Dean, 34, said: “We’ve lost everything. It all just happened so quickly we couldn’t do anything about it.

“Me and one of the neighbours tried to get the hose pipe on the fire in the caravan but it wasn’t having any effect.

“The response we’ve had has been unbelievable. It’s very overwhelming. We’ve lived on the street for five years and we knew we had good neighbours but people from all over the Wakefield area, who we don’t even know have been offering help.

“We cannot thank everybody enough - the emergency services for their quick response, our neighbours who all rushed out to help and everyone who has offered donations to support us. We will be forever grateful.”