A Forres family had to “run for their lives” after a fire tore through their home.
The accidental blaze started in Nicolle Campbell’s bedroom and “spread like wildfire” around the house, forcing her and her sons Ethan, 8, and Noah, 6, to flee for safety.
Sophie Campbell, Nicolle’s sister, rushed to the scene after receiving a call from a neighbour on Sunday, April 10.
“It was quite a shock, I didn’t realise quite how bad it was,” she said.
“Smoke was billowing out of her windows, the fire brigade was there and there were quite a few police as well.”
When she returned to the house, which is owned by the council, Nicolle, 28, had to wear gloves and a mask as she tried to rescue anything she could.
Sophie, 27, explained the extent of the damage the fire caused in her sister’s home: “Her bedroom is completely gone, there’s nothing salvageable.
“The attic caved in on her bedroom, all the smoke got to the upstairs but there’s also water damage and the kitchen is flooded.”
Trying to recover
The family is now living in the safety of Sophie and Nicolle’s parents’ home, but they are all struggling to adapt to life after the fire.
Nicolle started having seizures last year and hasn’t been able to work since. The stress of the fire caused her to have one as her sons were checked over by paramedics outside the house.
Noah is struggling to sleep without his favourite toy and the computer Ethan’s dad made for him was lost in the blaze.
Sophie said her niece Leah, 12, who was visiting her grandparents at the time, has “gone in on herself” since the fire.
‘There’s no shame in asking for help’
To help support her sister, Sophie set up a GoFundMe and has been overwhelmed by the number of people who have donated and come forward to offer help.
She said: “It might not look like a lot of money but it is a lot of money to my sister.”
Sophie said Nicolle had initially been hesitant to reach out, but had finally agreed that it could help her and her children rebuild what they lost.
“It took a lot of convincing for my sister to agree to it,” she explained.
“I said there’s no shame in asking for help when she’s lost everything in the house.”
The family had been due to move out of the Forres house in a matter of weeks, so are now focusing on looking forward to life in a new home with Nicolle’s partner.
To donate to the online GoFundme campaign, click here.
