A serving police officer has spoken of his profound grief after a horrific house fire on Boxing Day claimed the lives of his wife and their two young children.
A Father's Desperate Attempt to Save His Family
Tom Shearman, an officer with Gloucestershire Police, and his wife Fionnghuala, known affectionately as Nu, were awoken by the blaze at their mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage on Brimscombe Hill at around 3am on 26 December. The couple immediately tried to reach their children, seven-year-old Eve and four-year-old Ohner, who were in a rear bedroom.
In a desperate bid to rescue them, Mr Shearman smashed a bathroom window to try to access the children's room from outside. However, he was beaten back by the ferocious intensity of the flames, which had taken hold of the ground floor. The severity of the fire also prevented him from forcing open the ground-floor doors to re-enter the property.
Community Support in the Wake of Unimaginable Loss
The fire completely destroyed the family home, gutting the roof, ceilings, and stairs and causing extensive internal damage. Tragically, Nu, Eve, Ohner, and the family dog Hutch all perished in the blaze. Mr Shearman was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been discharged.
In a moving tribute shared via a GoFundMe page set up by police colleagues, the heartbroken father described his family as "three of the greatest humans to ever grace our presence." He wrote of the "anguish and trauma" of the events, stating his family's core had been ripped away in the most violent way.
The fundraising appeal, launched on Sunday, has seen an overwhelming outpouring of support, raising more than £300,000 to aid Mr Shearman. Family and friends have also rallied to provide him with immediate essentials like housing, clothes, and food.
Ongoing Investigation and Tributes
Gloucestershire Police have confirmed that the bodies of the two children and the dog were recovered from the property on Tuesday. The body of a woman in her late 30s had been recovered earlier. While investigations into the exact cause are ongoing, the fire is not being treated as suspicious. Authorities believe it started on the ground floor.
At the family's request, floral tributes and condolence messages left at the scene on Brimscombe Hill have been moved to Holy Trinity Church in Minchinhampton. The public is asked to place any further items at the church instead.
The GoFundMe campaign, titled "Helping Rebuild After An Unimaginable Loss," remains active for those wishing to contribute to Tom Shearman's future.
