Hero schoolgirl, 6, runs into burning house to rescue her sleeping mum and babies from fire – and saves their lives
A BRAVE schoolgirl has been hailed a hero after she ran inside her burning house to rescue her sleeping mum and siblings.
Olivia Patterson, six, was playing outside with a friend when she realised her family’s semi-detached home in Riccall, North Yorkshire, was on fire.
The youngster ran into the property, where she found mum Laura, 29, asleep on the sofa with siblings Joel-James, one, and Tiffany, two.
Olivia then woke all three of them up and they escaped the fire unharmed thanks to her efforts.
Her grandmother Sadie Gelder, 54, says she is ‘so proud’ of the ‘amazing’ youngster for rescuing her family from the blaze.
She said: “We are absolutely so proud of her.
“She’s got ADHD so she’s been absolutely amazing.
“We can’t believe Olivia got Laura out – she’s six-years-old and ran in a burning building.”
Laura’s next-door neighbour’s house caught fire on April 4 and then it quickly spread to the upstairs of her three-bedroom property.
An investigation into the fire is currently ongoing but the family have been told it might have been caused by a phone charger.
But Sadie says that nobody actually went into the house to rescue Laura and the children, because they didn’t think anyone was home.
She said: “Olivia saw people in the street but she just ran in to wake her mum up.
“She was shouting ‘wake up mum, the house is on fire – wake up the babies.’
“The people in the street didn’t think anyone was in because there wasn’t a car on the drive.”
Sadie says that the family are now staying in an Airbnb because they have lost almost everything in the blaze.
A fundraising page has now been set up by Laura’s former colleagues to help support the family.
Sadie said: “They managed to get a few of the baby’s clothes but everything else has gone, including their birthday presents.
“People have been donating beds, bedding and towels – things like that.
“She should be getting another council house but it’s all the little things so it’s just to help her build everything back up.”