A family who escaped a house fire has thanked their community for “overwhelming” support after they lost their possessions in the blaze.

Jessica Colley, 26, and her partner Nathan Price, 27, had to flee with their children after smoke badly damaged their council property in Maelor Avenue, Penycae, early on Sunday morning.

The family – including Harvey, seven, Evie, four and one-year-old Taylor – are living at temporary accommodation in Rhos and have been told it will be months before they are able to move back into their property, which has sustained extensive smoke damage.

A crowdfunding campaign set up by friends of the family has raised £500 so far to help replace possessions, the Co-operative in Rhos has a collection bucket and Miss Colley said the family had been “overwhelmed” by the support they had received since the fire.

“We’ve had an overwhelming amount of support from the community, everywhere in Wrexham,” she said.

“I’ve got hundreds of messages which I haven’t got through yet because I haven’t had time.

“I can’t even put into words how grateful we are for everything.

“We just can’t believe how generous and kind people are. It just restores your faith in human nature – it’s overwhelming.”

She has also posted a Facebook message offering heartfelt thanks to those who chipped in with equipment and clothes for her children.

Miss Colley, who was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and hypomobility syndrome, said she was woken by alarms sounding in her bedroom.

After they got out of the house, the couple were faced with the “gutting” sight of their home in flames.

“All the windows were exploding in the kitchen and I could see other things exploding,” Miss Colley said.

“I could see the fire coming out of the window. We were hysterical really.”

She called North Wales Fire and Rescue Service after leaving the house and praised them for their “absolutely brilliant” work.

Two crews from Wrexham Fire Station, with two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, used a hosereel jet to put out the blaze, which a spokesman said was caused by a faulty fridge freezer.

The fire caused 25 per cent damage to the kitchen and the crews had to ventilate the home.

Miss Colley said firefighters told her that the downstairs fire alarms were melted before they could sound.

The family were not allowed to take any items from the property due to the smoke damage,
Miss Colley said.

“Obviously we’ve got to sort out the house we’re in. We haven’t got anything,” she added.

“It’s so stressful. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.”

Anyone who wishes to contribute to the crowdfunding campaign can visit www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/samantha-carter-2.