A courageous young girl, Olivia Patterson, is being praised as a hero for her quick actions when her family’s home in Riccall, North Yorkshire, caught fire. While playing with a friend across the road, the six-year-old noticed the blaze and rushed inside. There, she found her mother, Laura, 29, along with her younger siblings, Joel-James, one, and Tiffany, two, asleep on the sofa.
Olivia roused her family from sleep, and they all safely escaped the fire, thanks to her courageous actions. Her grandmother, Sadie Gelder, expresses immense pride in her incredible granddaughter for saving their lives.
Olivia, aged six (as seen in the photo), was playing across the road when she noticed the house engulfed in flames.
In the photo, grandmother Sadie Gelder is seen with Olivia, Joel-James, and Tiffany.
In the image, Olivia (on the left) is captured alongside her mother, Laura Lee Patterson.
The fire (shown in the picture) completely devastated the home in North Yorkshire.
The 54-year-old expressed, “We are immensely proud of her. Despite having ADHD, she has shown incredible strength and bravery.”
“We’re astonished that Olivia managed to get Laura out; she’s only six and dashed into a burning building.”
An investigation into the fire is currently underway, with initial indications suggesting a phone charger may have been the cause.
However, Ms. Gelder clarified that initially, nobody ventured into the house to rescue Laura and the children because they assumed nobody was home.
She recounted, “Olivia spotted people on the street but still rushed in to wake her mum up. She kept shouting, ‘Wake up, Mum! The house is on fire – wake up the babies.'”
“The folks outside didn’t think anyone was inside since there wasn’t a car in the driveway.”
Now, the family is temporarily housed in an Airbnb after losing nearly everything in the fire.
To aid the family, Laura’s former colleagues have set up a fundraising page.
Sadie lamented, “They managed to salvage a few items of the baby’s clothing, but everything else, including their birthday presents, is gone.”
Olivia (pictured on the right) stands alongside her siblings: Joel-James, aged one, and Tiffany, aged two.
Olivia, shown in the picture, rescued her siblings and mother by entering the house and alerting them to the danger.
“People have been generously donating beds, bedding, towels, and other essentials. It’s these little things that matter a lot.
“She’s supposed to get another council house, but it’s the small items that help rebuild everything.”
A GoFundMe page, initiated by Marsha Roworth, has already raised over £1,000 for the family.
The fundraiser description states: “Five days ago, Laura was awakened by her daughter, who happened to be across the road when the blaze started, informing her that the house was on fire.
“Remarkably, her daughter spotted it by sheer chance, rushed into the house to alert her mum, and this quick action ensured Laura and her children’s safe escape.”
The semi-detached residence of the family in Riccall, North Yorkshire, is shown in the picture.
Olivia Patterson (pictured on the right) stands with her siblings Joel-James (center) and Tiffany (left).
“Regrettably, the fire raged uncontrollably, causing extensive damage to most parts of the house. Everything they possessed has been lost.
“The fire structural engineer has inspected Laura’s residence and delivered a devastating verdict: the house must be demolished and rebuilt, as it’s beyond salvageable.
“At present, they’re residing in an Airbnb while seeking a more permanent accommodation solution, but with barely any belongings left.”
To make a donation, visit gofundme.com.
