A family in Little Neston experienced a devastating house fire just hours after collecting the keys to their new home. Luke Hartley, his partner Megan, and their daughter Eppie were in the process of moving from Frodsham on Friday, June 19, when the fire broke out.
Fire Discovered During Move
The family had been making multiple trips between their old and new homes throughout the day. When they returned from picking up another load of belongings, they discovered the house engulfed in flames. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service responded, extinguishing the blaze. The fire is believed to have started from an electric cooker after a box was placed nearby.
A nine-year-old girl from the neighbourhood spotted smoke and flames billowing from the property and alerted her mother, who then called emergency services. The quick response prevented the fire from completely destroying the house.
Extensive Damage
The fire caused severe damage to the kitchen and upstairs toilet, with the rest of the property suffering extensive smoke damage. Photos show the aftermath, including a destroyed fridge and charred belongings.
The family had not yet taken out house insurance when the fire occurred, as they had only just received the keys. Luke Hartley, a 33-year-old engineer, described the incident as devastating. He said: "On what should have been the exciting start of a new chapter in our lives, just a matter of hours after receiving the keys to our new home, a fire broke out. Thankfully, nobody was inside at the time and, most importantly, our family is safe. We are especially grateful that our baby was not in the house when the fire occurred."
Fundraiser Launched
Luke set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for renovations. He explained: "While the structure of the house remains standing, the damage inside is extensive. The entire kitchen has been destroyed, and the rest of the property has suffered severe smoke damage. Almost everything inside has been affected and much of it is beyond repair."
The house requires significant work, including removing and replacing carpets, redecorating walls and ceilings, and rebuilding much of the interior. The family also lost many belongings, including beds, furniture, clothing, electronics, a laptop with years of work files, a smartwatch, and a games console.
Community Support
Luke's close friend and colleague, Adam Braley, told the ECHO: "It's awful what happened, I've not been able to stop thinking about it all weekend. Luke has been in there masked up getting hands on with the damage, that's the kind of person he is. Thankfully, the structure is alright, it's just everything else."
Adam said his friend has been "overwhelmed" by the support. At the time of writing, the fundraiser has raised £5,200, and Luke has also received offers of help with the renovation.
