Devastated mum and daughter died in a house blaze that killed four pets

Joanne Lewis was at home with her daughter Zoe when a gas canister burst in the chest freezer.

Joanne Lewis, 34, of Kilmarnock, and her daughter Zoe, 12, were at their three-bedroom maisonette on Kerr Road when a gas canister in a chest freezer broke, causing the mother to lament she has “lost everything” after the terrible fire at her house.

Joanne said it reminded her of the days when “teenagers used deodorant and a lighter” when she first noticed the orange flame in her first-floor apartment and realized it was a gas fire.

The freezer was in the living room, where Joanne and Zoe were watching TV on Monday, June 17 at 1.57 in the morning when the fire broke out.

Joanne stated: “My kid struggles to fall asleep on some evenings since she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.

“She takes melatonin to help her sleep, but it’s not always effective. We were watching TV shows in the living room that evening since she was having a pretty difficult time.

“Zoe heard a popping sound while she was sitting close to the freezer. She leaped to her feet and exclaimed, ‘Mum, what’s that?'” Then there was a rumbling sound that we heard. I knew it was gas connected since the flames were so fierce right away.

“I told Zoe that we had to leave. We took nothing but a phone and walked out barefoot. We left and called the fire department before the heat and smoke caused the fire alarm to go off.”

“We were alerted at 1.58am on Monday, June 17, to reports of a dwelling fire on Kerr Road, Kilmarnock,” a spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stated.

“Firefighters put out a fire that was affecting the first-floor apartment after Operations Control sent two fire appliances and specialized personnel to the spot.

“There were no reported casualties, and crews left the scene at 4.01am after ensuring the area was made safe.”

Joanne and Zoe had to leave the house very away, thus they were unable to save the pets that were inside at the time.

“Three of our cats and a mouse perished in the fire,” Joanne stated. The fire spread quickly because all the doors—aside from the kitchen door—were open. The cats were terrified after the explosion and fled, so we were unable to capture them.

The fire alarm in the living room and the hallway had totally melted, but bits of plastic, resembling plastic icicles, were still stuck to the ceiling. In addition, two windows cracked and one shattered from the heat.

“The only room where the door was closed and everything was still okay is the kitchen.

“I’m simply numb. It’s flown by so quickly. In addition to losing our house and some of our dogs, we also lost valuables.”

Now, until something from the municipality comes up, Joanne and Zoe are staying with Joanne’s parents and sharing a set of bunk beds.

According to Joanne, they are at the top of the list and will shortly receive a property. They will, however, have to “start from scratch” because the fire has destroyed nearly everything.

Kirsty Baird, a friend of Joanne’s, created a JustGiving campaign to assist Joanne in replacing some living room furnishings. A total of £700 was raised with all of the gifts.

Joanne stated: “I thought I just needed to replace some living room furniture until my friend Kirsty set this up for me. I understand now that I had to start over. I’m waiting on a council space that I have to furnish, decorate, and lay the flooring for. I have no idea how we will manage it all.”

Joanne has since made another JustGiving page, this time with a £1,500 goal.

She declared: “I need volunteers to help with painting, papering, carpet installation, vinyl, and laminate, as well as financial support. or even in the event that you are getting rid of furnishings.