A grandmother said her family are ‘lucky to be alive’ after their home was targeted by arsonists.
Bessie Hillman, 74, her four children and grandson were inside the house on Somerset Grove in Church when a fire was started in a shed connected to the kitchen.
Firefighters from Hyndburn and Blackburn and officers from Lancashire Police were called to the scene at 9.30am on Monday, October 3 and the cause of the blaze is being treated as suspicious.
Bessie, who has lived in the house for eight years, said they are all ‘very shocked’ and ‘can’t understand’ why they have been targeted.
She said: “I didn’t know what was going on until I heard a neighbour shouting ‘fire’ and we all came rushing downstairs.
“The fire started in the shed and it spread and damaged my back door and kitchen window.
“We don’t know how it’s started or who has done it. Somebody must have a grudge against us.
“I was shocked by it. I keep myself to myself so why they have done this to me I haven’t got a clue.
“We are lucky to be alive. If there had been a strong wind it could have been a lot worse.”
Bessie and her family were given precautionary checks by paramedics for smoke inhalation and fire officers said the blaze caused ‘substantial damage’ to the back of the house.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.30am after a fire had been started at the back of a house on Somerset Grove.
“The fire spread to the exterior wall of the house and caused damage to the rear windows and some smoke damage.
“The victim and the family inside were able to leave the property before the fire service got there.
“The fire service extinguished the fire and we are investigating it now and enquiries are ongoing. It is being treated as arson.”
A Hyndburn fire station spokesperson said: “The fire is being treated as suspicious and a fire investigation is now in progress.
“The fire is thought to have been started at the rear of the house, causing substantial damage to the rear of the property.
“Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used hose reels to extinguish the blaze.”
Call police on 101 quoting crime reference number ED1615122.
