Beloved family dog dies in devastating Chester house fire caused by extension lead
Dianne Barnett woke to a 'strange popping sound' and seconds later the family were escaping flames
Milo Clay
Bruno sadly lost his life during a house fire in Chester (Image: Cheshire Constabulary)
A Chester mum says she 'went to bed with everything and got up with nothing' as a devasting fire at her home destroyed her house and killed her beloved pet dog.
The incident happened on Shotwick-Frodsham Road in Chester as five fire engine attended the house fire.
Dianne Barnett, her husband Guy and two sons Tom and Jack managed to escape, but their family dog Bruno could not be saved.
Dianne suffered burns to her feet which needed treating in hospital and also suffered a head injury during her escape.
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Diane and her family were all fast asleep upstairs in their Chester home before she was woken up at around 12.45am on September 28 by a strange 'popping noise'.
Seconds later, the family were escaping flames with black smoke and the mum has shared her story to help people understand the dangers of using extension leads and the importance of having smoke alarms fitted correctly.
Diane woke to a strange popping sound and when she got out of her bed the fire alarm went off, promoting her to shout to her husband and two children to "get out".
She said: "I got out of bed, hesitated for a split second, and then the smoke alarm went off on the landing and I just knew there was a fire, I shouted to my husband Guy and our two sons Tom and Jack to get out.
"I called 999 and was in such a panic as black smoke started filling the bedroom and I became trapped."
Pictures of the Barnett family house after the electrical fire (Image: Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service)
Dianne's husband, Guy, was waiting at the window with a ladder for her and had to smash the window in order for her to escape.
"He smashed the glass but the fire had taken hold so quickly that black smoke was escaping out of the window behind me," she said.
"I couldn't see a thing. I remember saying my feet were burning to the control operator and sat down on the bed.
"I was so disorientated and just not thinking right, I then heard one of my sons shouting at the window to come to him and as I did he just dragged me out to safety.
"I later found out that Tom had ran down the stairs when I shouted, but Jack couldn't get out.
"His brother was outside so started shouting for him to jump onto the annex.
"He did and fell off the roof and landed on the patio, thankfully with no injuries.
"My husband said he knew I was trapped so got the ladders and came to the front of the house.
"He smashed the bedroom window, which is where I must have got my second wind from because the smoke cleared enough for me to get back to the window.
"Tom took over from his dad and climbed the ladder and called me to come to him and as I did he just pulled me out head first.
"My neighbour was also there and I remember him saying to me, as I was lying on the ground outside, that it was ok and that I was out."
Reflecting back on the incident, the mum said she would not be alive to tell her story if it wasn't for the help of her family and neighbour but also warned people to check their extension leads.
She said: "If Guy, Tom, Jack and our neighbour Scott had not been there I would not be telling this story, so please everyone check your extension leads or better still, don't use them.
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"Also make sure you fit smoke alarms if you don't already have them.
"We went to bed with everything and got up with nothing and we also lost a precious member of our family, our beloved dog Bruno.
"I'd like to thank everyone that has helped us including family, friends and neighbours.
"Also thank you to the control operator, firefighters and the paramedics who were amazing and came to our aid that night."
The family are now living in a static caravan and starting from "bare brick" but Dianne said the most important thing is the fact the family are still alive.
"Thankfully we are insured so we are starting again from bare brick and we have moved temporarily into a static caravan while the work is being done." she said.
"It will be a long time until we are able to move back in, but we are all alive so that's the main thing."
A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Fire Investigation Officer attended after the fire and said: "Following extensive investigations I believe the fire started in an extension lead, which the family had been using for a number of years, but without previous issues.
"They did have a smoke alarm on the landing but it was positioned on the wall, not attached to the ceiling, so unfortunately the fire had time to develop and produce large volumes of smoke before activating."
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