Widow 'loses everything' after a firework rips through her home

A woman in Liverpool has 'lost everything' after a stray firework ripped through her home last night.Pauline Perry, who is 75, was at her home in Norris Green, Liverpool alone on Friday, Bonfire Night, when a stray firework had landed in her back garden and set fire to her rattan furniture.

The blaze caused by a stray firework at the pensioner's house in Norris Green Credit: Liverpool Echo

The heat from the growing fire caused her patio door to ‘pop’ and as the pensioner tried to move the furniture away from the house, opening the doors caused the fire to shoot through her living room and destroy the downstairs.

Her neighbour Steve Finlay, who took her in after the blaze said: “After the fire ripped through the living room, the neighbours spotted the flames and ran over to get Pauline out of the house and help.”

Boarded up door and window after fire ripped through house in Norris Green Credit: Liverpool Echo

Four fire engines were at the scene at 7.29pm, six minutes after being alerted of the fire and were able to control the fire by 7.44pm. Pauline, moved to Norris Green with her husband around six years ago and has since spoken about how much she ‘loves the area’ and community.Sadly, after being admitted to hospital two months ago for sepsis, Pauline’s husband passed away after a week leaving her to live alone while her son lives in the Midlands.

The first floor of the house was destroyed as fire ripped through the property Credit: Liverpool Echo

Steve, 68, said: “She was only just readjusting after her husband’s passing and then for this to happen - there’s just no justice.“I know Pauline has the same views as me when it comes to fireworks already and that is we should no longer be selling them."Only organised displays should be allowed and there should be a stop on selling fireworks to households.Alistair Smith, a local from a neighbouring street has since set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise money to help Pauline get ‘back on her feet’. The community has so far raised more than £3,000 to help repair her house. He said: “Pauline is okay but just in a bad state."“We’re hoping to raise some money in the community just to help her through it all - every little helps.”

A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue confirmed that the fire was caused by a stray firework and the incident was not a targeted attack.They said: “Firefighters arrived to find the ground floor of a two-storey detached property well alight and committed 2 teams of two firefighters, with a hose reel jet each, one team fighting fire, the other searching the house for occupants.