Tragedy as mum and two kids, 7 and 4, killed in house fire pictured | UK | News
The names and photographs of a mother and her two young children who died in a house fire have been identified as a community mourns their tragic deaths. Fionnghuala Shearman, known to her friends as Nu, died along with her seven-year-old daughter Eve and four-year-old son Ohner.
The fire broke out at their home on Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, on Boxing Day. Fionnghuala’s husband Tom, 38, managed to escape the fire. They have been married for nearly ten years and Tom is a police officer with Gloucestershire Police.
Emergency services rushed to the scene of the fire at around 3am on Boxing Day. Gloucestershire Police said Mr Shearman tried to save his wife and two children but was unsuccessful due to the severity of the fire.
Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher said: “Due to the intensity of the fire they were unable to reach the back bedroom.”
“The father left the house by breaking the bathroom window to reach the child’s bedroom from the outside. He could not enter the house through the bedroom window.”
He added: “He then attempted to re-enter the property through the bathroom window, by which stage the fire had also engulfed the bathroom and he was unable to return to the upstairs bedrooms.
“He then went downstairs and attempted to force entry through the front and back doors but was unable to gain entry back into the property.
“It was at this point that our colleagues in emergency services joined the incident and began to manage and respond to the fire.”
It was stated that the fire broke out on the ground floor of the house. A police investigation has been launched, but the fire is not treated as suspicious.
As reported by Daily MailA friend of the Shearman family said they were “shocked” by the fire.
They said: “We’re all in shock to be honest with you. We don’t know what happened [to cause the fire]”
A second friend, who lives in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds, said the tragedy was “terrible”.
Although the police do not consider the fire suspicious, they continue to appeal to the public for information.
Chloe Turner, who represents Minchinhampton on Stroud District Council for the Green Party, said: “If anyone in the community has information that could assist the investigation or requires any support as a result of the incident, please call 101 or notify police at the scene and they will refer you to the appropriate agency.
“Emergency services and councils are working closely together, but if you experience any problems please let me know. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic incident.”
