Sunderland gran relives "most terrifying experience of my life" as family flee suspected arson attack on home

Mum-of-six Tracy Husband and seven members of her family fled her house in Sunderland Street, Houghton, after the sitting room caught fire.

Tracy, 53, said she was sitting on her settee waiting for police to arrive after her front windows were smashed in an earlier incident, when an object was suddenly hurled through the same windows.

She said: “All of a sudden there was this gushing sound and flames appeared everywhere.

"I leapt up and ran to the kitchen to get some water and started shouting get out, get out.”

Two of Tracy’s children, Casey Newall, 19, and Havannah Newall, 12, were upstairs along with four of her grandchildren, who are aged between four and nine.

While Tracy and partner Antony Newall, 58, doused the flames, a neighbour rushed across with some ladders so that the youngsters could climb down via a flat first-floor rear roof.

Tracy, a full-time carer for Antony, said: “The ladders weren’t big enough to reach. Fortunately we were able to lead everyone down the stairs and out of the house.

"The kids were screaming and it was the most terrifying experience of my life.

"It was horrifying. I often sleep on that settee and I could have been killed if I wasn’t up waiting for the police.”

Firefighters spent 20 minutes tackling the blaze after two crews attended on Tuesday, December 8, just before 7am.

Tracy, who said her settee, carpets, windows and a door were all damaged, does not know why anyone would target her home.

She added: “We have not done anything to anyone to deserve this.”

A Northumbria Police spokesperson confirmed that the force were investigating suspected criminal damage and suspected arson at the property.

They added on Tuesday: “Shortly after 7am today we received a report of a house fire on Sunderland Street, Houghton.

“Emergency services attended and the blaze was extinguished. Thankfully nobody was injured.

“Inquiries are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, which officers are currently treating as suspected arson.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact us via the Tell Us Something page of our website or by calling 101, quoting log 109 081220.”

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