Sophie Firth, a former child star who appeared on the ITV soap Emmerdale as a baby, died in a tragic freak accident at the age of three. Her costume for an upcoming school nativity play caught fire, leading to severe burns across 70% of her body.
Details of the Accident
On Sunday, December 2, 2012, Sophie was at her grandmother's house in Skellow, Doncaster, while her family's home in Austerfield was being renovated. She was standing by a gas fire, trying on her costume for the nursery school nativity play scheduled for the following week, when her outfit ignited and she became engulfed in flames.
Her mother, Amy Harhoff, then 28, attempted to extinguish the fire using a blanket, but Sophie sustained critical injuries. She was initially taken to the burns unit at Sheffield Children's Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit in Newcastle for a skin graft. However, Sophie contracted a blood infection, and her organs began to fail. She died with her parents, Amy and Neil, by her side.
Medical Context and Statistics
A Veterans Agency report published via Gov.UK stated: "The prognosis for burns patients varies according to the severity of the damage caused and the age and physiological fitness of the victim." It added: "More serious burns carry a greater risk and death can occur in the most severe cases. The risk of death is related more to the area burned than to the depth, TBSA (total body surface area) of over 40 per cent carrying the most risk." Sophie suffered 70% burns, far exceeding the 40% threshold.
Emmerdale Connection and Tributes
Sophie appeared on Emmerdale for three months in 2009 as a baby, playing Angelica King, the daughter of characters Jimmy and Nicola King. She was later replaced by Rebecca Bakes. Following her death, an Emmerdale spokesperson said: "We are devastated to hear of Sophie's tragic death. Our sincere condolences go out to her family. Everyone at Emmerdale is thinking of them at this sad time."
Sophie's uncle, Mick Harhoff, paid tribute: "Sophie was such a lovely little girl and she was exceptionally bright. She always used to say that she wanted to be a princess." He added: "You do expect that one day you may bury your parents but you never expect to bury a child."
Official Response and Safety Warning
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: "This was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the girl's family and friends at this extremely distressing time. Any fire can be dangerous. We would urge people to pay particular attention to the risk of fires in their home during the cold weather and as we approach the holiday season."
