A family of five are having to live in one hotel room after a fire gutted their home.
Homeless for now - Ben, Amy and Sam Utting with Aston Richardson-Smith outside the family home, which was badly damaged by fire on Boxing Day. (40233-6)
The blaze, believed to have been started by a transformer to Christmas tree lights, gutted the living room of Emma Utting's house in Rana Drive, Braintree, and left the rest badly smoke-damaged on Boxing Day.
Mrs Utting, 35, children Ben, 12, Sam, nine, Amy, seven, and husband Carl, 38, are now staying at a hotel while their insurers look for a house for them.
She said: "I am never having fairy lights again.
"I cant wait to get out."
Luckily, the family were out having dinner with Mrs Utting's sister, Becky, 33, who lives in the same road, when the fire started.
Family pet Pippa, a four-year-old jack russell dog, had to be rescued from the house and resuscitated by para- medics.
She was then placed in the care of a vet and is now safe and well.
Mrs Utting said: "If we would have lost her that would have been devastating. I would have felt a lot worse."
Three birds, a cockatiel and two finches, which were kept in the living room and hallway, died in the fire.
The family were alerted to the fire by one of their neighbours, who went to find them at their relatives' home further down the road.
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Thursday, December 30, 2004
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