Family ‘lose almost everything’ in house fire caused by pet rat

By Adam Dutton

A family 'lost almost everything' they own in a devastating house blaze which was sparked by their pet rat.

Chris Howe, 38, was woken by his son Dylan,10, after flames ripped through their three bedroom home in Berwick, Northumberland at around 2am on February 17.

The dad-of-one said the blaze started in his son’s room in the early hours after one of their pet rats is believed to have gnawed their way through nearby electrical cables.

Chris reckons the damaged cables set fire to Dylan’s bedsheets before the flames quickly engulfed the schoolboy's bedroom and spread throughout the property.

After quickly evacuating Dylan and his Chris’ dad Terry, 68, he went back in to try and rescue his beloved dogs Thor and Loki - but he was unable to reach them.

Tragically, both pooches died of smoke inhalation - before Chris himself was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma to clear smoke from his lungs.

Chris, who is a full-time care for his dad, said: "Dylan came running into my room saying his room was on fire.

“The flames were at the bottom of the rat cage, we think Dylan knocked the cage slightly playing, which is easily done, and not realised.

"With it being on wheels, it’s very easy to knock, so it must have been just enough for one to grab a cable from a camera or even a Wi-Fi cable.

“I don’t think it would have enough time to chew through the thicker wires, but on the camera and the router it had thin cables, so it would have only taken one chew.

"It probably fell through the bars and hit the bedding, which is like lighter fuel if it touches. It must have caught fire there.

“I made sure my son and my father were out of the house and then I ran back in trying to save my dogs.

"I opened the cages in my room, I heard a whimper and thought it was too late.

“While I was stood there the top window blew open with the heat and it caught my legs.

"I had big scratches on my legs. I had to leave them as I couldn't take it in my lungs anymore - it broke my heart.”

Chris was rushed to Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where medical staff induced him into a coma for two days to fight an infection and clear his lungs.

Chris added: “I burnt the top of my head and my ears, I didn’t feel anything because of the adrenaline.

“They rushed me to the RVI in Newcastle and induced me into a coma.

"I was in that for roughly two days. I managed to leave hospital in under a week.

“I didn’t realise I was in a coma. It was like a nightmare, but it’s just a shame because I woke I was just in another nightmare.

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“I eventually got to say goodbye to my dogs. They were XL bullies and they used to play all the time, so they used to sleep in their cages.

“It was just the smoke inhalation that killed them, but I’ll never accept it. It’s really ruined me.

“I lost birds in my bedroom as well - but my snake actually survived.

“There were two rats in there, my son had them just before Christmas.

"I don’t blame the rats for doing what they naturally do, it’s just a freak occurrence which destroyed my house.

“I love my animals, which is why I'm a bit mentally ruined for losing my dogs.

"It’s one thing to put them down for a reason, but this is heartbreaking.”

The property has been charred by the fire, completely destroying one room and leaving others in need of urgent repairs.

Thanks to his close friend John, Chris and his family are now raising funds through a GoFundMe.

Chris added: “The landing is going to need to be rewired and the ceiling will need fixing.

"My son’s room will need fully fixing as that’s where the fire started. His whole ceiling fell.

“My room was smoke damaged. My dad’s room is downstairs but luckily that just suffered water damage.

“Me and Dylan are at my sisters, and my dad is staying at his sisters. We’re just trying to clear the house and everything.

"We’re going to try and clean my walls. Every penny I get I want to spend on fixing my son’s room and landing.

“I don’t like asking for money, that’s my mentally. But John set it up for me and we’ve raised £2,400. I’m blown away by that.

“If there’s anything left I'll pay it forward and donate it to someone in a similar situation.

“People can call me a hero as much as they want, but my son’s the hero.

"If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be here."

Fundraiser John Scullion said: "Chris and his family experienced something no family should ever have to face a devastating house fire that destroyed their home and most of their belongings.

"The fire started in his young son Dylan’s bedroom after a pet rat sadly chewed through an electrical wire.

"Although the family managed to get out safely, the fire caused massive damage to their home and they lost almost everything they owned."

Anyone wishing to donate can do so here.