Neighbour saves boy, six, from house fire in Blackpool that killed his parents
Granada Reports' Anna Youssef spoke to neighbours at the scene
A woman has told of how her partner saved a six-year-old boy from a house fire that killed the youngster’s parents.
The mother and father of the boy died in the blaze in the early hours of Wednesday, 17 July, on Peter Street in Blackpool.
Police and fire officials are investigating the cause of the blaze.
A baby son of the couple, both in their 20s, is in hospital in a "very poorly condition", police said.
Kara-Marie Pearson said her partner, Jake Hartill - who did not want to speak to reporters - saved the young boy after smashing a glass panel in the front door of the home engulfed in flames.
The couple, near neighbours on the terrace street around half a mile from Blackpool Tower, were awoken around 2.30am.
Ms Pearson said: "If he hadn’t got that little boy out, he’d be dead.
"I heard this almighty bang and I looked out my bedroom window and the whole downstairs was literally in flames.
"You couldn’t even see it, it was pure orange. It was like an explosion.
"All I could hear was the dad screaming out, ‘Help! Help! Help!’
"Me and my partner, we’ve ran down, the first thing he’s done is, he’s got a bat and he’s smashed the window in the door and as he’s smashed it, the little boy was behind it, he’s lifted him out and got him out, while the dad’s still screaming upstairs.
"When he smashed the window the boy was stood there, he’s had to lift him out from the fire.
“His skin was red hot, it was burning. Once we moved the little boy to safety the whole windows just smashed, just blew.
"We all had to stand back because the flames came right out.
"It was like a wildfire, you can’t explain how those flames were.
"And obviously Dad had stopped shouting at this point, so… Smoke must have got to him.
“Obviously the fire brigade came, but we could only get that little boy out. Mum, dad and the baby, we couldn’t get out it was too dangerous."
Ms Pearson said she took the young boy to safety with neighbours.
"He was traumatised. He was petrified, he’s only four years old," she added.
"He fell to the ground. We got him in our house and next door but one is a nurse so I got him in there so the nurse could look after him.
"He had some cuts and burns on him.
"It was traumatising. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. It wasn’t just like a normal house fire, that was like a wildfire.
"It doesn’t bear thinking about, those poor kids have got no mum and dad.”
Jade Hartill, Mr Hartill’s sister, said: "I got here and when I got here the fire brigade had the dad on the floor and put him in the ambulance and the whole house just went up in flames.
"The fire service was trying to get the baby out, they managed to get the baby out.
"Mum sadly passed away in the fire.
"It’s awful. It just happened so fast. That fire and them flames were just unbelievable."
Locals say the family involved have lived on the street for around a year and that police have taken footage from doorbell cameras.
Police said firefighters and officers were called to the address at 2.39am on Wednesday to reports of a blaze with people inside.
The mother of the youngsters was found dead, while the father was later died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Four fire engines attended as crews used three hose reels, six breathing apparatus, and two positive pressure ventilation fans to fight the fire.
Detectives say they are keeping an "open mind" as to the cause.
No arrests have been made.
Chief Superintendent Mike Gladwin, of Lancashire Police, said: "This incident has resulted in two people losing their lives and my thoughts are with their loved ones at this extremely distressing time.
"I know this tragic news will be met with great sadness in the local community and people will want instant answers.
"However, there are grieving loved ones still trying to come to terms with this devastating news.
"With that in mind, I would ask for patience and that people avoid unhelpful and upsetting speculation."