Reading fire: Gran who broke bones jumping from third floor to flee will spend Christmas in hospital

Laura Wiggins pictured with her grandchildren Credit: Emily Wiggins

A grandmother forced to leap from a third floor window to escape a deadly fire which destroyed a block of flats in Reading will spend Christmas in hospital.

Laura Wiggins, 52, suffered a broken back, pelvis, ribs and arm as she fell while fleeing the blaze at Rowe Court on Wednesday, December 15.

Her daughter said the blaze had destroyed her injured mother's home and everything she owned - forcing her to "start her life again from scratch."

One person died and two people remain unaccounted for, following the suspected arson attack last week.

But police revealed they have still been unable to recover the body of one of the victims of the blaze.

Significant damage was caused at Rowe Court, Reading Credit: Marc Ward/PA Archive/PA Images

Hakeem Kigundu appeared at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, via videolink, charged with one count of murder and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

Prosecutors revealed that due to the state of the building, the police experts have not been able to recover the body of the only known victim so far.

Prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson said: "This was a fire that the Crown says was caused deliberately by the defendant. Most of the residents managed to escape but there are two people who are currently missing. They have not been seen since the night of the fire."The police have seen a body but have not been able to recover it. There is what looks to be a body on the stairs to the second floor. The house is in a very dangerous condition and is currently being examined by structural engineers."It is not known precisely when the body will be recovered but it is not likely to be for several weeks."Judge Heather Norton heard that once the building was stabilised with scaffolding, which was expected to take some time, police will begin to sift through the wreckage to search for the remains of the two missing people.Prosecutors revealed that if the remains of the missing people are found in the building, the charges against Kigundu, aged 31, formerly of Rowe Court, Reading, might change.Mr Ward-Jackson also added: "The issue in this case is likely to be the defendant's mental state. We will need to know who died and how before a final indictment can be produced."

Writing on a GoFundMe page, Laura Wiggin's daughter, Emily said, "As many of you are aware, my mum was caught up in a huge fire on Wednesday.

"She jumped from her third floor flat and is in hospital with a lot of severe injuries.

Laura Wiggins was forced to jump from a third storey window to escape the fire Credit: Emily Wiggins

"This fire has absolutely destroyed everything she owned, she has no home to go back to and no possessions to call her own.

"My mum is going to need to start her life again from scratch, if any of you could possibly donate any amount so we can try and take some pressure off of her at this awful time."

More than £3,400 had been raised by Tuesday morning.

Kigundu, aged 31 years, did not issue a plea when he appeared in court.

He was remanded in custody and will appear before the court again on February 11.

His potential trial is scheduled to take place on June 7 next year.