Woman who lost everything in house fire thanks her dog for saving her life
A woman who lost her house and the entirety of her possessions in a shocking fire has said that her rescue dog Dobby saved her life. Emma Churchill wasn't left with anything apart from her much-loved pooch and the pyjamas she happened to be wearing as the fire engulfed her caravan.
The 34-year-old had been residing on her father's driveway in Sevenoaks, Kent, and said that miraculously Dobby was able to wake her up during the fire on Christmas Eve. That's the only reason she could escape with her life.
She said: "It was just a normal evening. We were all looking forward to Christmas, especially as I didn't celebrate in 2022 because I was made homeless after issues with my Universal Credit allowance.
"This year I got myself a little Christmas tree, put all my decorations up, and presents under the tree. I thought: 'This is going to be a really good Christmas; we're going to make up for last year'." Emma went to bed as normal at 1am, but then Dobby woke her up at 2am.
The 34-year-old, who had been living on her father’s drive in Sevenoaks, Kent, said that Dobby managed to wake her during the fire (Courtesy of Emma Churchill / SWN SWNS)She said: "He was really whining, which he doesn't normally do, and he was pacing up and down the bed. I thought maybe he's heard a cat or a dog and it's set him off. So, I started telling him to be quiet, but he was really going for it.
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"Then, as I started to wake up more, I could hear what I thought were really heavy raindrops. I was also boiling hot which is unusual as caravans are known for being cold.
"I went to turn the light on and realised there was no electricity. Then I started to smell burning plastic. I thought 'God, what is going on?' and went to my bathroom to look outside through the window.
"As soon as I opened the bathroom door, there was an orange glow. I stuck my head out the window and everything to the right-hand side of the caravan was alight."
Emma called 999 straight away andDobby as she ran outside with Dobby. At that point she understood how bad the fire really was.
The fire of Emma Churchill's caravan (Courtesy of Emma Churchill / SWN SWNS)"The flames were massive. The smoke was so thick and strong and there were embers from the fire flying everywhere. The shed around the back of my dad's house was also on fire.
"I had all my animals - two rabbits, two bunnies, and two guinea pigs - in there, and all I could think was that they were burning." Emma rammed on her father's window and took him, her step-mother, and their dog out of the house to safety.
By that point her mobile home, pet shed, dad's garage, and his classic car had all been engulfed in flames. Emma said: "Firefighters turned up in about 10 minutes, but honestly, it felt like hours. Those static caravans only take about 10 minutes until they're burnt down to the axles, and by that point mine had.
"I wasn't sure how badly dad's garage had been damaged at this point. I knew the shed was gone with the animals because that was the first thing I saw. I was hoping the garage, which was home to my dad's classic car, would be okay, because unlike the shed it was brick-built. I was praying that the car would be alright."
The remains of Emma Churchill's caravan (Courtesy of Emma Churchill / SWN SWNS)When the initial fire crew turned up, they had to prioritise the houses in the surrounding area to make sure the fire didn't spread. Emma explained: "Because of this they let the caravan carry on burning and started hosing down all the neighbours' properties to stop it spreading to the houses. Gradually more and more fire engines turned up. There were five, by the end of it."
Despite the emergency services' best efforts, Emma's caravan could not be saved, nor could her pet shed, car or her dad's garage. "I was literally left with what I was wearing, which was my pyjamas, my dressing gown, and a pair of Ugg boots," Emma said.
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"I wasn't wearing underwear or socks. I left with the dog and my phone, and that was only because I was on call to 999. In my head, when I first saw the flames, I don't think I realised how big or how quickly it was going to spread.
"I thought they'd put the fire out and there might be a bit of damage, but I could go in later and get all my bits, see what I could salvage, but the whole lot was gone. Everything was ash.
Despite the emergency services' best efforts, Emma's caravan could not be saved, nor could her pet shed, car or her dad's garage (Courtesy of Emma Churchill / SWN SWNS)"It was only thanks to Dobby that I woke up. If it wasn't for him I don't know what would have happened." Emma took Dobby from Spain in 2018, but at the time he was skinny, with no nails, and covered in scars. Now, his appearance has been transformed, and the duo have been inseparable ever since.
She said: "He's just an amazing little dog. He's so lovely, so sweet... but I never thought in a million years that he'd wake me up to a fire." At the moment, Emma is residing on a friend's sofa, and now that things have settled she is realising how desperate her situation has become.
She said: "My car keys went up, all my medication, my driving licence, ID, birth certificate, car logbook, bank cards...
"I literally have to try and start from scratch. I'm never going to get back what I lost. I'm just trying to replace the essentials."
Kent Fire Brigade confirmed it was contacted and was at the scene from 2.09am until 4.14am. A spokesperson said: "There were no reported injuries, and the cause of the fire has been linked to an extension lead."
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