More than £6,000 raised for Saltdean woman who rescued dog from fire that destroyed her home

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) said it received reports of a fire in Lenham Avenue at 8.57pm on Wednesday, August 12,.

The fire service sent six engines and an aerial ladder platform to the scene, reporting that the house had been ‘badly damaged’.

Now, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the resident, Vicki Peaster, 52, who was in the house when the fire broke out and suffered serious burns to her foot.

The mother-of-two said one of her adult sons, Regan Peaster, set up the fundraiser, which has raised about £6,660 so far. People can donate at www.gofundme.com/f/help-mum-rebuild-after-the-fire.

Describing the moment the fire broke out, Vicki said: “I was going up into the loft because we were going camping the next day – we were going in a campervan on holiday. So I put the loft ladder up and just plugged the light in.”

Vicki said it was just her and her dog Rio in the property at the time. She said: “I was waiting for some help to get the stuff out of the loft so I went downstairs into the kitchen and heard an almighty crack. I thought the loft ladder had fallen down but when I went upstairs the flames were just coming through the loft hatch. The whole roof had gone up within seconds.”

Vicki got out of the house immediately and said she was ‘absolutely gutted’ at what had happened. But she realised Rio was still inside and caught in her bedroom the other side of her loft. So she went back into the burning home several times to rescue him.

Vicki said Rio was ‘absolutely petrified’ and cowering in the bedroom. He would not follow Vicki at first, but he eventually bolted out of the bedroom as smoke engulfed the hallway.

Vicki’s partner arrived at the scene as the fire service was fighting the blaze.

Vicki said her foot was burned by embers during the rescue and she suffered two deep blisters, which were later treated at A&E. But she said she was relieved she had got Rio out of the property.

The GoFundMe page said the fire destroyed Vicki’s clothes and belongings, as well as important documents and family possessions, including ‘irreplaceable memories from her children’s childhoods’. It said: “Sadly, a recent change in circumstances meant that the house and its contents were not insured at the time of the fire. This has made an already incredibly difficult situation even harder, leaving Vicki facing the enormous challenge of rebuilding without the financial support an insurance policy would normally provide.”

The fundraiser aims to help Vicki replace her essential items, while supporting her recovery and contributing towards the work needed to make the property safe.

Vicki said she thinks the fire was caused by an electrical cable in a light. She said the firefighters who spoke to her afterwards said there were two camping gas cylinders in the loft, which exploded and made the fire worse. Vicki said: “They said it was because the loft was so dry that any fibres or anything could have gone into the electrical part of the light or something.”

ESFRS confirmed on Thursday, August 13: “The fire was accidental. It is believed that an electric lamp or cable overheated items which then caught fire.”

Vicki said she feels ‘overwhelmed’ by how quickly the fundraiser has been supported by people and she and her partner have thanked everyone who has donated and offered to help.