Holbeach homes gutted in blaze ‘sparked by New Year’s firework’

A mother has told of her family’s heartbreak after their home was destroyed by a fire believed to have been caused by a stray firework on New Year’s Day.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue was called to a semi-detached house in Hall Gate, Holbeach, just after midnight on Wednesday.

The house was destroyed, with its three occupants, including a 10-year-old girl, climbing out of a window to escape the flames, while a neighbouring property was also damaged.

Karolyn Ward said: “We have one car and the clothes we stood up in. Everything else is gone. It’s heartbreaking that we’ve lost the furniture, but it’s the baby photos, the first drawings and the certificates. That’s the worst.”