Seven children aged 2 to 14 and their mother tragically died after their malfunctioning dryer burst into flames while they were sleeping.
The fire broke out after midnight in their family home in Charly-sur-Marne in France, with almost 80 firefighters rushing to the scene.
According to reports, only the mother’s husband survived the blaze but he suffered serious burns.
Sadly, the mother and her seven children died from asphyxiation.
Local prosecutor Julien Morino-Ros confirmed that the fire started from a malfunctioning tumble dryer on the ground floor of the home.
It is believed that the family may have turned it on in the early hours of the morning as electricity costs are a little bit cheaper.
Police fear that the father told his wife and children to go to the second-floor attic of their house as he went down to check where the smoke was coming from.
But prosecutor said that it turned into a ‘trap’ for the mother and her children as all the electric shutters upstairs hammed after the power failure.
Neighbors called the fire services who rushed to the property but they struggled to get to the second floor of the house. They also found it difficult to get their ladders to the top windows as the house is located in a narrow street.
“The house was completely destroyed. Only the side walls remain,” said fire chief Jean-Claude Ougel.
Sylvie Corre, the wife of the property owner, said: “I hope with all my heart that those who died did not feel any pain, or see anything.
“We were there in the street all night and watched the horror.”
The father spent a night in the hospital and his condition is now stable.
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