Irthlingborough mum asks for help after fire destroys family's kitchen as she re-opened family business

An Irthlingborough family has been left with a huge bill after an accident caused a kitchen fire on the same day the mother of the family reopened her clothing, crafts and gifts business.

Caroline Dumpleton was only hours into welcoming customers including the mayor of Raunds into her relocated Raunds shop, Caroline's Treasure Trove, as non-essential stores opened their doors again after lockdown yesterday Monday, June 15.

At around lunchtime she received a phone call from her eldest daughter alerting her to fire engines outside her Finedon Road home where husband Daniel had been with their children, but could not leave the Brook Street shop.

She said: "One of my daughter's friends phoned her to see what was going on. I couldn't go home because I didn't have the car. I waited for Dan to pick me up."

Caroline, 44, returned to find fire had caused damage to the kitchen, utility and downstairs bathroom of the family home she shares with husband Daniel, 46, and ten of their 13 children.

She said: "There's a little bit of water damage but we've got no cooker and no boiler and no hot water and there's soot everywhere. The electricity is working but the wires need fixing. The cupboards are wrecked."

The Dumpletons, who have been married for 27 years, had a previous electrical fire seven years ago that was covered by insurance but Mrs Dumpleton says they had been unable to get cover after individual voluntary arrangement.

She said: "The kids might have had something on the grill and left it on. Then Dan was cooking eggs and left the cooker on - something caught fire on the cooker. He feels bad.

"We've been trying to get insurance but couldn't because they don't accept us after an IVA (individual voluntary arrangement). "

Caroline has appealed for help from anyone who might be able to provide work at cost or if anyone has some tins of paint to redecorate the house.

She said: "I wouldn't normally ask for free stuff but we need to decorate. If anyone could help we would be very grateful. I feel bad begging.

"I feel we are genuine people who work hard. We both work full-time and yesterday wasn't the celebration I wanted it to be.

" I just don't where to even start. If people have spare cloths or old towels so we can clean up.

"I thought we were on the road to recovery and this happened. We just want to get back on our feet."

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue said: "Firefighters from Irthlingborough and Rushden were called to a kitchen fire at a house in Finedon Rd, Irthlingborough.

"Crews were called out shortly after 12.30pm yesterday (June 15).

"There was some fire damage to the kitchen and its contents as well as smoke damage to the ground floor. The cause is believed to have been accidental."

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