A couple have lost their beloved dog and their home after a fire ripped through the kitchen. They say a faulty toaster sparked the blaze at the property they rent in Penrhyn Bay, Conwy county.
Poppy Edwards, 38, and her partner Eddie, 40, are living in temporary accommodation while they grieve for their dog Lola. NorthWalesLive reports that the Glan-y-Mor Road house fire started while the couple were out and their children were in school. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the most likely cause was an electrical fault in an appliance.
Eddie said: "Fair play, the postman saw it first. He ran round the back and banged on the window in case anyone was inside. He didn't know about the dog. It would have been too dangerous to go in anyway because the fire was that intense. I've got a mate who saw the smoke from the Great Orme. I had a phone call from the police saying: 'You need to come home. There's a little fire.' They don't want to panic you."
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The couple rushed home but the flames had already caused a lot of damage. Eddie said: "The fire brigade asked me what was in the corner in the kitchen and I said the only thing was the toaster. We'd only used it about four times and hadn't used it for two weeks before the fire. It was plugged in but it's not like it was getting hammered... It's scary. You don't expect it. I went to the supermarket to warn them about it... Now I make sure everything is turned off."
The fire claimed the life of seven-month-old Lola, who was a Cane Corso, an Italian breed of mastiff. "It was our little baby," said Eddie. "It was one of the kids."
Poppy wrote movingly on Facebook about the loss of her beloved pet: "We lost most of our possessions and our home. And I would gladly lose everything I own if only our Lola had survived. The guilt of knowing she was home alone will haunt me for as long as I live. We will never forget you, little one, a little piece of my heart died with you... She stole our hearts and was loved so deeply by everyone. I simply can't put into words the devastation and horror we feel. It's such an unbearable loss and the pain is just all-consuming."
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said three crews from Llandudno and Colwyn Bay attended the home on Monday. There was significant damage to the kitchen and heat damage to the rest of the property. You can read more of the latest breaking news from Wales here.
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