Bexhill boy, 12, hailed 'absolute hero' after rescuing family's dogs from burning home
A Bexhill boy has been hailed an 'absolute hero' after rescuing his family's three dogs from their burning home.
Twelve-year-old Stanley Molyneaux smelt smoke and discovered flames coming from his bedroom, his mum Annalise South said.
He got the dogs out safely before alerting the family's neighbour.
Firefighters attended the scene in Drayton Rise, Little Common, after the blaze broke out at around 3pm on Monday (September 1).
Annalise and her four children have now been placed in emergency accommodation after being left with almost nothing.
Annalise said: “We have all been in tears, shock and heartbreak.
“We popped down the road to get dinner and our 12-year-old smelt smoke. He went into our hallway and as he described it, ‘it looked like hell’. He said the whole house was just pouring with black smoke and he saw the flames coming from his bedroom.
“He is an absolute hero, as at 12 years old he managed to get himself out safely and our three dogs who were in the house, before alerting our next-door neighbour.
“We have lost all of our belongings due to the fire and smoke. The council has moved us from pillar to post, putting us in different temporary accommodations.
“We have nothing but the clothes on our backs and our four children all have special educational needs (SEN), autism and ADHD. They have been finding this extremely difficult and with starting school is the worry of not knowing where we’re going to be.
“Warming up the Homeless was extremely kind in giving us some clothing to get by and pots, pans, cutlery to get us through.”
Annalise said she believes the fire may have started from a plug socket or light bulb, though she added nothing was plugged in.
She said: “It’s going to be an extremely long road ahead as we have now been told the house is going to be sold and is unsafe for us to live in.”
Her friend Lindsay Lucas-Izzard has set up a Gofundme page to help the family rebuild their lives and raise money towards essentials.
Other friends have taken in the family's dogs, washed clothes and provided other support.
An East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service attended a house fire in Drayton Rise, Bexhill, at 3.45pm on Monday, September 1.
“Two crews attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one hose reel jet and one main jet to extinguish the fire located in the bedroom. The cause was accidental.”
The Gofundme page in support of Annalise and her family can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/annalise-and-her-babies-house-fire-rebuild.