South London Family's Miraculous Escape from Devastating House Fire
A Morden family have described themselves as "lucky to still be here" after a ferocious nighttime fire completely destroyed their home while they were sleeping. The terrifying incident occurred on Halesowen Road in the early hours of January 27, with the family only being alerted to the danger by neighbours desperately banging on their front door.
Smoke Alarms Failed as Blaze Took Hold
Connor Stokes, along with his girlfriend and younger brother, were all fast asleep when the fire began to spread through neighbouring properties. Alarmingly, the smoke detectors in their home failed to activate, leaving them completely unaware of the danger until neighbours raised the alarm just after 4am. Firefighters later revealed that another five minutes could have resulted in tragedy, with the family fortunate to escape with their lives.
All three family members were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, though they have since been discharged. The psychological impact has been significant, with Connor reportedly finding it difficult to sleep since the traumatic event.
Heroic Actions Amid Personal Crisis
Even while escaping the inferno barefoot and with nothing but the clothes they were sleeping in, Connor demonstrated remarkable presence of mind. He ensured not only his family's safety but also checked on a neighbour with dementia, helping them to evacuate as well. This selfless act has been highlighted by friends as typical of Connor's character.
Michael Mockler, a 57-year-old colleague who has worked with Connor for five years, told local media: "He's such a resilient young man who's always been the breadwinner for his family. Even in that state of emergency, he was thinking of others. It just goes to show the type of guy he is."
Major Fire Service Response Required
The London Fire Brigade received 18 emergency calls about the blaze and deployed a substantial response team to tackle the spreading fire. A total of 70 firefighters using 10 engines worked to bring the situation under control, with the incident affecting three separate properties.
The fire caused extensive damage:
- The ground floor, first floor and roof of a two-storey end-of-terrace house were completely destroyed
- A neighbouring property suffered damage to its ground floor lean-to and roof
- The roof of a third house was entirely destroyed by the flames
Firefighters employed specialist equipment including a 32-metre turntable ladder used as a water tower to extinguish the blaze from above. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities.
Community Rallying to Support Affected Family
Michael Mockler has established a fundraising campaign to help Connor and his family rebuild their lives after losing everything in the fire. The GoFundMe page has already raised over £1,685 from concerned community members.
"Now with this fire, he's lost everything. Everything is gone. It was a proper inferno," Michael explained. "In this life, you might grow to 70 and see one fire in your lifetime. To have to live through one and be involved in one is even more of a rarity."
Michael, who has been fundraising for various causes over the past 12 years, added: "I want to do whatever I can to help. Working with him, he makes my life easier. He's always bounced back from difficult situations. He's an inspirational young man who's had a much harder life than me. That's why I really want to help him."
The incident serves as a stark reminder about the importance of regularly testing smoke alarms and having working fire detection systems in all homes. The family's narrow escape highlights both the dangers of house fires and the vital role that alert neighbours can play in emergency situations.
