Family loses everything as mobile phone charger sparks fire

A family is left with nothing after a fire tore through their home that was allegedly started by a mobile phone charger.

The family lost all their possessions after the fire broke out on the upper floor of their house in the Welsh village of Aberfan.

Alice Matthews said her sister Lana, brother-in-law Stuart, and seven-year-old nephew Cole were out of the house on Tuesday morning when the blaze started.

The fire that completely destroyed the house’s first floor and badly water damaged the ground floor was caused by a mobile phone charger in an upstairs bedroom.

The family were told they would have to wait a year for their home in Ynysowen Fach to be rebuilt and must move into temporary accommodation in Gurnos in Merthyr Tydfil.

“My sister left the house at about 9.30am and by about 9.40am police phoned her to say the house was on fire,” Ms Matthew, 27, said.

‘The upstairs has completely gone and the downstairs is badly water damaged so nothing is salvageable.

‘My brother-in-law is keeping strong for my sister and my nephew doesn’t really understand what has happened.

‘They were really lucky though that they weren’t there when it happened.’
Since the fire, the family have been ‘overwhelmed’ by the response of the community.

So far Ms Matthews has received countless donations for her sister’s family including three cookers, a washing machine, and TV.

An online fundraising page has also raised more than £1,000 in less than a week after doubling the original target of £500.

‘My sister is in shock but she’s overwhelmed by what people are doing,’ Ms Matthews said.

‘The last few nights I’ve been out collecting clothes for my sister and people are donating everything. It’s amazing. I think they have everything to move into their new house.’