A MAN aged 92 was among five people who fled a suspected arson attack in the early hours of the morning.
George Lewis was asleep in his bedroom next to the kitchen at the back of his home when he was woken by a smoke alarm.
He smelled smoke and alerted his son and daughter-in-law, who were sleeping upstairs.
All five occupants of two properties on Mold Road in Mynydd Isa – and two pet cats – escaped unhurt from the blaze, which destroyed outbuildings, gates, fencing and a woodpile.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service believe the fire was started deliberately.
Mr Lewis’s daughter-in-law, Lynn Lewis said: “He’s shaky on his legs but he shouted up to us.
“We’re really very lucky to be alive.”
She said her father-in-law had remained calm but had temporarily moved out of his smoke-damaged room and was staying with his sister.
“He seemed all right,” she said. “He’s taken it quite well but he was shaking a bit as he left.”
Damage to the solid fire door at the back of Mr and Mrs Lewis’s home shows how close the family came to disaster.
Mrs Lewis said the door, an electricity trip-switch and the smoke alarm had probably saved them. “If we hadn’t had all the right things in place, it could have been very different,” she said.
Neighbours Ann Cartwright and Keith Lewis were sleeping upstairs when Mrs Lewis alerted them to the danger.
“When I heard the banging on the door, I thought I was dreaming,” said Miss Cartwright.
“Lynn said ‘there’s a fire; you’d better get out’. We do realise how lucky we are.”
“It was horrendous,” added Keith. “But the important thing is no one was hurt.”
Both families’ cats survived the suspected arson attack. Mr and Mrs Lewis’s pet, Daisy, was found later in the garden and Miss Cartwright locked her cat, Tiggs, in the car until the fire was out.
Mold CID are investigating and urge anyone with information to contact North Wales Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.