A “devastated” mum-of-four says she has lost “pretty much everything” after her home was destroyed in a fire.
The blaze ripped through Charlotte Baker’s ground-floor flat in Townhall Square, Crayford, near Dartford, at around 4pm on Monday (August 18).
The 34-year-old was first alerted to the fire, which was caused by an electrical fault in her tumble dryer, after one of her sons noticed the smell of smoke.
She told KentOnline: “There was a misty smoke coming from it, so I took everything out, unplugged it, moved it from the worktop, and opened the kitchen window.
“I went to run my daughter a bath, and my son told me there was a fire.”
Around 40 firefighters in six fire engines attended the scene just before 4pm, and Charlotte and her family were forced to evacuate the building alongside neighbours. It was brought under control by 5.22pm.
Charlotte was in the house with three of her children at the time – Mason, seven, Arthur, six, and Delilah, three. Her son Stevie, 14, was at a friend’s house.
She says her home has now been “completely written off”.
“We’ve lost pretty much everything,” added Charlotte. “We did grab a few bits of clothing, but they are so smoke-damaged. I’ve never smelt smoke like it.
“I wore a pair of pyjamas on Tuesday night that had been washed, but the smell was horrific on them. I didn’t even want to wear them on my skin.”
The mum-of-four says she has been “overwhelmed” with the kindness of neighbours who have donated clothes and toys for the children.
“I now need to rebuild my home. I’m just devastated,” she added.
“We would have been there for five years in November, and I really did make it into a lovely home.”
She added that one of her children also has additional needs, so is “really struggling at the moment with the lack of stability”.
The family’s cat, T-Rex, who they’d had since 2022, also died in the blaze.
Charlotte said: “The children are really sad about it obviously, we’ve had him since he was a kitten.”
While she awaits temporary accommodation she and her children are living between her mum’s house in West Malling, and with neighbours.
“We could also be put in a temporary house in Belvedere at the end of September or the start of October”, she explained.
“But that isn’t ideal as my children go to school in Dartford.
“I did say that I wanted to be in Crayford because that’s where my support network is as well.
“We haven’t been together as a family since Monday”.
Her friend Lottie Packer has set up a fundraiser to help the family rebuild their lives, which has a goal of £2,000. Donations can be made here.
Lottie said: “In a matter of minutes, she lost nearly everything — her belongings, her children’s clothes, toys, and the place they called home.
“Most importantly, she and her four beautiful children made it out alive. While we are so grateful for their safety, the family is heartbroken over the loss of their beloved cat, who sadly did not survive.
“Now, my friend faces the unimaginable challenge of starting over with nothing.
“As a single mother, her first concern is making sure her children have a roof over their heads, clothes to wear, food to eat, and eventually, the comfort of a stable home again.
“Any donation—big or small—will go directly toward helping this family rebuild their lives, providing essentials.”
Following the blaze, the London Fire Brigade issued advice on the use of home appliances.
They said: “This incident serves as an important reminder to make sure that your white goods aren’t a hidden fire hazard in your home.
“If your white goods start making strange noises, don’t ignore it.
“If you think there’s a problem, always unplug it and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.
“Most fires where white goods are the source of ignition are not down to anything you have done – so always make sure you register your appliances as you’ll be informed if any issues are identified with the product you’ve bought.”
