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January 05, 2011

Christmas laptop saves UK sisters from fire

Sister used her Christmas present laptop to smash a downstairs window to help her two younger sisters escape a fire

By Hayden Smith
The Metro

PENRHYN BAY, U.K. — A teenage girl used her Christmas present laptop to smash a downstairs window and help her two sisters escape from a fire early yesterday. Alishaa Williams, 13, rescued Louise, eight, and 18-month-old Sophia from the semi-detached home but two family friends - a 32-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man - were fighting for their lives and her mother, 32, was seriously ill.

Within hours of the drama, the selfconfessed Facebook addict posted a message on the social networking site: 'Whataa night .!.!.! Thanks Sandra and Sam :) thanks everyone off the street :) I'm shattered ! Still here ! Feel really ill x.' North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the children were sleeping in a downstairs bedroom of the semi-detached house at Penrhyn Bay, near Llandudno, when the eldest girl was woken by a smoke alarm.

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Alishaa, with the baby in her arms, alerted her neighbours and Ray Jones, 50, and Gareth Owen, 47, tried to reach the mother and her two friends, who were believed to be staying at the property to celebrate New Year.

However, thick smoke made it impossible for them to get upstairs and fire crews later rescued the adults.

The mother is described as being in a 'serious but stable' condition while her two friends are said to be 'critical'.

Mr. Owen described Alishaa as a heroine. 'She threw the Christmas laptop through the window and got her two sisters out. She got them out through a front window,' he said.

Fire chiefs also praised the young girl's actions.

Gary Brandrick, senior operations manager, said: 'She notified us of the fire and of the fact that there were a further three adults in the upstairs of the building.' An investigation is under way to establish the cause of the fire.

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