ianstone
10-07-2010, 09:18 AM
Mother rescued three sons from blazing home but died alongside daughter as she tried to coax her out from under her bed
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 10:38 AM on 7th October 2010
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A mother who battled flames to rescue her three sons from their blazing home died in a desperate bid to save her little girl as she hid under a bed, an inquest heard yesterday.
Michelle Thomas managed to pull the three boys from the inferno before she dashed back inside for four-year-old Courtney.
But her efforts were in vain and firefighters later found their two bodies lying side by side on the floor in the child's bedroom.
Witnesses told how the 32-year-old had screamed 'Where's my daughter?' and then, 'Courtney is inside' as she ran back into the family home.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7FBF98000005DC-901_468x293.jpg Tragic loss: Michelle Thomas with her four-year-old daughter Courtney. The pair died in a house fire in Gwent in September 2009
The housewife pushed through the flames to reach her daughter but both were overcome by choking black smoke.
Fire investigator David Phillips said: 'Michelle was cooking their tea in the kitchen when the alarm was raised.
'But Courtney appears to have run upstairs to escape the fire. Michelle had left the property but then re-entered in an attempt to rescue Courtney.
'From a small fire from the cigarette lighter to the whole bedroom being engulfed would have taken about a minute.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7F5507000005DC-841_468x488.jpg The Thomas family: (from left) Jason 14, mother Michelle holding Courtney, 4, Aiden 12, father Kevin and Jordan, 9. Mother and daughter died in the blaze
He said the mother was probably caught in a 'backdraft explosion' as wind raced through open doors and fanned flames.
Rescuers later found Courtney dead under the bed with her mother lying dead by her side.
Detective Constable Clive Jones said: 'When fire crews arrived they were told a child had been seen in a bedroom. They went inside and searched but had to withdraw because of the heat.
'Michelle's body was found in the bedroom near the bed. Courtney's body was found under the bed in the same room.'
The fire in Townhill, Swansea, was started by one of her brothers - Jason, 15, Hayden, 12, and Jordan, nine - who had been playing with a cigarette lighter, the inquest heard.
Courtney had been outside minutes earlier before her mother called her in for tea.
Their taxi-driver father Kevin, 36, was only told of the tragedy last September when he returned from work, the Swansea inquest heard.
He returned to find his wife and daughter dead.
Det Con Jones said: 'Courtney enjoyed school and had lots of friends. Her teacher described how she settled and was a delightful, well-mannered and polite child who had a beautiful smile which lit up her face.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7F6887000005DC-317_468x286.jpg Their taxi-driver father Kevin, 36, was only told of the tragedy last September when he returned from work, the Swansea inquest heard
'She had no side to her and when she smiled at you, you knew it was because she was happy.'
Post mortem examinations showed Courtney died after breathing in smoke. Her mother died of smoke inhalation and burns.
The inquest heard the semi-detached home had no working smoke alarms.
Coroner Philip Rogers said: 'The fire spread very rapidly. There are several lessons which can be learned, including the danger of allowing children access or to play with any combustible material.'
He recorded verdicts of accidental death on both mother and daughter.
My sad story of the day.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318438/Mother-rescued-3-sons-house-blaze-died-little-girl.html#ixzz11g7cCQMg
By Daily Mail Reporter (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter)
Last updated at 10:38 AM on 7th October 2010
Comments (14) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318438/Mother-rescued-3-sons-house-blaze-died-little-girl.html#comments)
Add to My Stories (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318438/Mother-rescued-3-sons-house-blaze-died-little-girl.html)
A mother who battled flames to rescue her three sons from their blazing home died in a desperate bid to save her little girl as she hid under a bed, an inquest heard yesterday.
Michelle Thomas managed to pull the three boys from the inferno before she dashed back inside for four-year-old Courtney.
But her efforts were in vain and firefighters later found their two bodies lying side by side on the floor in the child's bedroom.
Witnesses told how the 32-year-old had screamed 'Where's my daughter?' and then, 'Courtney is inside' as she ran back into the family home.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7FBF98000005DC-901_468x293.jpg Tragic loss: Michelle Thomas with her four-year-old daughter Courtney. The pair died in a house fire in Gwent in September 2009
The housewife pushed through the flames to reach her daughter but both were overcome by choking black smoke.
Fire investigator David Phillips said: 'Michelle was cooking their tea in the kitchen when the alarm was raised.
'But Courtney appears to have run upstairs to escape the fire. Michelle had left the property but then re-entered in an attempt to rescue Courtney.
'From a small fire from the cigarette lighter to the whole bedroom being engulfed would have taken about a minute.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7F5507000005DC-841_468x488.jpg The Thomas family: (from left) Jason 14, mother Michelle holding Courtney, 4, Aiden 12, father Kevin and Jordan, 9. Mother and daughter died in the blaze
He said the mother was probably caught in a 'backdraft explosion' as wind raced through open doors and fanned flames.
Rescuers later found Courtney dead under the bed with her mother lying dead by her side.
Detective Constable Clive Jones said: 'When fire crews arrived they were told a child had been seen in a bedroom. They went inside and searched but had to withdraw because of the heat.
'Michelle's body was found in the bedroom near the bed. Courtney's body was found under the bed in the same room.'
The fire in Townhill, Swansea, was started by one of her brothers - Jason, 15, Hayden, 12, and Jordan, nine - who had been playing with a cigarette lighter, the inquest heard.
Courtney had been outside minutes earlier before her mother called her in for tea.
Their taxi-driver father Kevin, 36, was only told of the tragedy last September when he returned from work, the Swansea inquest heard.
He returned to find his wife and daughter dead.
Det Con Jones said: 'Courtney enjoyed school and had lots of friends. Her teacher described how she settled and was a delightful, well-mannered and polite child who had a beautiful smile which lit up her face.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/07/article-1318438-0B7F6887000005DC-317_468x286.jpg Their taxi-driver father Kevin, 36, was only told of the tragedy last September when he returned from work, the Swansea inquest heard
'She had no side to her and when she smiled at you, you knew it was because she was happy.'
Post mortem examinations showed Courtney died after breathing in smoke. Her mother died of smoke inhalation and burns.
The inquest heard the semi-detached home had no working smoke alarms.
Coroner Philip Rogers said: 'The fire spread very rapidly. There are several lessons which can be learned, including the danger of allowing children access or to play with any combustible material.'
He recorded verdicts of accidental death on both mother and daughter.
My sad story of the day.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318438/Mother-rescued-3-sons-house-blaze-died-little-girl.html#ixzz11g7cCQMg