Mum and her three children killed in house fire pictured as family pay tribute
A mum and her three children who died in a house fire have been pictured for the first time as their heartbroken family say they were ‘loved beyond measure’.
Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children Leo Brabin, 16, Ellis Brabin, eight, and seven-year-old Prudence Brabin were killed in the fire in Bootle, Merseyside, in the early hours of Tuesday (22 September) morning.
Six fire engines and eight firefighters were sent out to the scene of the blaze at around 3.45am.
Two firefighters made their way into the house where they found the bodies of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence who were ‘showing no signs of life’.
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Their deaths were later confirmed by Merseyside Police.
In a heartbreaking tribute, the family has said they’ve been left ‘devastated’ by the tragedy.
In a statement, they said: “Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, auntie, niece and cousin. She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us.
“Our beautiful babies, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure and brought so much joy, happiness and love to our family. They filled our lives with laughter and precious memories that we will cherish forever.
“The tragic loss of Elisha and our three precious children has left us heartbroken. They have all been taken from us far too soon. The loss we are experiencing is unimaginable, and the impact on our family will be felt forever.”
A Gofundme page set up for the family had raised more than £5,000 on Wednesday.
Neighbour Loti Nambombe, who set up the fundraiser, said: “Everybody just wants to do something to help, that’s our duty as neighbours and as a community.”
He said the money raised could be used towards funeral costs of anything else the family might need.
Nambombe, who has been taking care of the family’s dogs since the tragedy, has praised residents, saying they came out to help when the fire broke out.
He said: “Some of the guys here are real heroes. They were trying to run in, get ladders or smash windows to get people out. People nearly risked their own lives to try and help.”
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MSFR) said the four victims were found in an upstairs bedroom of the semi-detached home by crews who went in to tackle the fire.
A fifth casualty was taken to hospital suffering from burns, the fire service said.
MFRS Area Manager Kevin Longshaw said the tragedy had left firefighters and emergency service colleagues 'devastated'.
He said: “This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives and been injured.
“We will work closely with relevant colleagues to ascertain the cause of the fire, but in the immediate term, we again extend our sincere condolences to those affected by this tragic incident.”
A joint investigation with Merseyside Police is under way to establish the cause of the fire.
Topics: UK News
Claire Reid