A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy remains in a stable condition in hospital after a fire broke out at his Co Derry home on St Stephen's Day.
Rhys Mullan was standing next to the hearth in his home on Seacoast Road in Magilligan when a spark ignited his clothes at around 4pm.
Flames then spread to furniture.
Rhys's family, including his brother Ben (12), sister Leah (10), father Stephen Mullan and his father's partner Miriam Ramsey, managed to escape the house through an upstairs window leading to a flat roof.
The children and Mr Mullan clambered to safety before firefighters arrived and helped Ms Ramsey.
Rhys suffered third degree burns to his face and body and was being treated at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital on Wednesday.
Mr Mullan told BBC Radio Foyle: "Rhys' arm caught fire and we tried to get it out but when I looked around, I noticed the house was on fire. I said to my oldest son, Ben, 'Get Rhys out and I'll deal with this fire',"
"But it was too far gone and it just happened in seconds. The chair in the sitting room caught.
"Ben rolled Rhys on the chair and got the fire out on his arm. Miriam got Leah up the stairs into the back bedroom. Ben was very calm. I just saw flames. It was a matter of minutes, the whole house was completely covered in smoke.
"In panic, I kept trying the front door knowing it was locked. Ben said we needed to get upstairs."
The Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) said an operator at its regional control centre was able to advise the family on how to remain calm and where to make their escape.
The service's group fire commander Edward Carroll told The Irish News it was essential that fire safety precautions are at the forefront of people's minds during the festive period.
“There are the obvious measures that householders should have in place, such as not leaving open fires unguarded, but there are also Christmas decorations to be considered, and it can be dangerous having them above heaters for instance," he said.
“This case could have ended much worse for the family, but they followed advice from the operators who talked them through their escape.
“I would strongly advise householders to think of their own plans to escape in an emergency. Use the STOP method – S is for smoke alarm, T is for testing it at least weekly, O is for being aware of obvious fire hazards, and P is for the plan needed to ensure everyone in the property can get out safely.”
