Family with autistic children have 'lost everything' weeks before Christmas in devastating house fire

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A family with autistic children have been left devastated after they “lost everything” in a horror house fire just weeks before Christmas.

The Oxfordshire bungalow of Laura Fawdrey and her family went up in flames on Wednesday, December 11, just weeks before the big day. The fire at the home, which is located in Kennington, was the result of an electrical fire involving an extension lead.

Ms Fawdrey, 37, is a full-time carer for her two sons, Jake, 11, and Joshua, 12, both of whom are autistic and have additional learning difficulties. She revealed that the family had “lost everything” in the fire and that her husband, Toby Fawdrey, was even unable to re-enter the home to rescue the family’s cats.

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Laura Fawdrey and her family - husband Toby, and sons Joshua and Jake - have "lost everything" in a devastating house fire just weeks before ChristmasLaura Fawdrey and her family - husband Toby, and sons Joshua and Jake - have "lost everything" in a devastating house fire just weeks before Christmas
Laura Fawdrey and her family - husband Toby, and sons Joshua and Jake - have "lost everything" in a devastating house fire just weeks before Christmas | Courtesy Laura Fawdrey / SWNS

She said: "The fire happened on Wednesday (11/12) morning. It was around ten past eight in the morning and the boys were getting ready for school with their dad.

"I woke up to Toby banging on the door, shouting: 'The house is on fire!'. We struggled to get out because the smoke was so thick we couldn't see the keyhole to open the door.

Ms Fawdrey said that two of the family cats died in the fire, saying: "We managed to grab one cat but we couldn't find the others. The firefighters came within about ten minutes but it felt like ten hours."

Six fire engines attended, with the distraught mother and carer calling the scene “horrendous”. She said: "We got out of the house with no shoes on, one of the boys just had a pair of pants on.

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The family's home was destroyed in the fire.The family's home was destroyed in the fire.
The family's home was destroyed in the fire. | Courtesy Laura Fawdrey / SWNS

"Neighbours all rallied round and got us clothes and shoes. We all had smoke inhalation and were given oxygen. I had to go to hospital that evening as I was struggling to breathe. It was just horrendous."

Ms Fawdrey said: "We have literally lost everything, two weeks before Christmas. I'm not ready to go in the house, but it's all black and melted. The smell is just horrendous.

"I can still hear the fire alarm ringing all the time. We'd put our decorations up in November, but now everything is gone.

Two of the family's cats were killed in the fire.Two of the family's cats were killed in the fire.
Two of the family's cats were killed in the fire. | Courtesy Laura Fawdrey / SWNS

"We've got a few presents my grandparents had, but I lost all the ones from the house. Christmas is such a big thing for us... It really brings us joy.

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She added: "To see everything gone and melted is horrible. There's never a good time for a house fire, but this was our happy place. It was so Christmassy and now it's all gone. Christmas has melted away."

A GoFundMe fundraiser for the family has been set up by by close friends, with more than £3,000 raised. Ms Fawrdey described the support as “amazing”, adding that they were “overwhelmed”.

She said: "I'm just so thankful my husband was there. It's not easy for my boys... They are homeless now.

"They don't go out or anything. They're very insular. They just played games but now everything is gone."

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Money from the fundraiser will go towards replacing Joshua and Jake’s clothes and trying to make as much of Christmas as possible.

Ms Fawdrey said: "All we can do is make it as good a Christmas as possible for the boys. If they're OK, we are OK.

“I just need them to be happy and safe. You never expect something like this to happen, but you just have to try and get through it."

Lucy Duncan, one of Ms Fawdrey’s friend who helped to set up the fundraiser, said that her and fellow pal Stef O’Donnell ”just wanted to do something”. She said: "Laura's been a really close friend. She always goes out of her way for everyone else.

"I didn't know what to do or say when I found out [about the fire]. It's shocking and sad... Especially around Christmas - their favourite time of year."

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