Toddler’s ashes possibly destroyed in Llanelli house fire, say family

A family forced to move after a house fire said they were uncertain if their two-year-old’s ashes had been destroyed.

Abbie’s daughter Lyndee died in June 2023 of an accidental death after an incident at her home in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

On 21 August of this year, crews were called to a fire in the roof of the house at Brohawddgar.

The 43-year-old mother-of-eight said the family have not been in the house due to its unsafe condition and it’s having a “big impact” on them.

Abbie, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), said the family planned to go to Tŷ Hafan, which supports people with life-limiting conditions, for the day.

Within an hour of being there, Abbie said they received a call that their house had “caught fire” and, she said, “everything just went blur”.

Due to the Llanelli home being council-owned, the family were relocated to a temporary home in Carmarthen, more than 20 miles away, where they are currently living.

“It’s basically gutted out,” Abbie said.

Twins Keira and Sienna, 16, were collecting their GCSE results when they found out about the fire.

Kiera described longing for precious items, including those belonging to her little sister, Lyndee.

“I lost a load of stuff of my baby sister. I had a picture frame with her thumb print on it with everyone else’s,” she said.

“Obviously, you can’t get that back because of the thumb print.”

Aderyn, 10, said she is “praying” that her sister’s ashes have not been damaged.

“We did have some that were buried, but there was some that was left for jewellery and stuff and they were in the house.”

Abbie said the “shock of everything” has caused issues with her MS.

According to the NHS, MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. The most common symptoms include fatigue, muscle cramps and problems with vision.

Abbie, who uses a wheelchair, said she is “basically housebound” because her wheelchair was in the house during the fire.

“It has a big effect on me, which is obviously having a knock on effect on the family,” she said.

Sienna said she wants to return to Llanelli and that its stressful arranging transport to college.

“It’s stressful because we’ve got to get on a bus to college [in Llanelli] and then either stay at someone’s house or find a way to come back, a lift or a bus or something,” added Keira.

Following the fire, Abbie said the response from the community has been “unbelievable” and she is “grateful” for their help.

In a statement, Carmarthenshire council said it had remained in contact and was committed to supporting the family.

It added the family were rehoused into suitable temporary accommodation for their needs but it understood the “challenges” caused by their relocation.

It added that its priority was to ensure the home was restored so the family could move back at the earliest opportunity.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was determined as accidental.

It added a full investigation was not possible due to the severity of the fire.

Dyfed Powys-Police said it was not treated as suspicious.