Six-year-old girl saves entire family after running into burning home to wake them up
A fearless six-year-old girl called a “superhero” for running into her burning home to wake her sleeping family has been nominated for a Pride of Britain award.
Olivia Patterson was playing in her friend’s garden when she spotted flames coming from the roof of her home on April 4.
She told her pal’s mum, then sprinted back to the house and rushing in to alert her loved ones.
Her care worker mum, Laura-Lee Patterson, 29, says Olivia’s “instinct to protect her family kicked in.”
She says: “At the time, flames were spreading across the roof of the property and the ceiling was collapsing. She knew we were having a nap inside the house and ran to wake us up and get us out.”
Sadie Gelder with Olivia, Joel-James and Tiffany
Olivia Patterson, who saved her family from their burning home
Even though smoke was filling the council-owned property in Riccall, North Yorks, Olivia dashed through the front door, shouting: “ Fire, fire, fire, wake the babies!”
Laura had been asleep with Olivia’s two younger siblings – Tiffany Rose Austin, two, and Joel-James Edward Austin, 17 months – when the fire broke out.
The fire brigade believed it started in a bedroom next door.
Laura says: “She [Olivia] refers to her siblings as babies. For a six-year-old, what she did was very brave. We had been asleep for at least 20 minutes before Olivia alerted us.
No fire alarms sounded, as the fire started in the loft.”
The house fire
Olivia was the only one who knew her family were at home, as her machine driver dad, Jason Edward Austin, 33, had been away at the time.
Olivia’s quick thinking saved the lives of her mother and siblings.
For Tiffany, who has a serious heart condition, the effects of smoke inhalation could have proved fatal.
Laura says: “Tiffany spent most of 2022 in and out of hospital, regularly needing oxygen. She has been hospital-free for a year now, but if she had inhaled the smoke, it could have set her right back. Olivia is our very own superhero.”
Thankfully, none of them needed hospital treatment. Olivia got them out just in time.
Laura says: “We’ve just moved into another council-owned property.
“We spent the last two months in Airbnbs and we finally have our cats back. We’ve just started taking the first steps at rebuilding our lives. We’ve still got a way to go, but we’re getting there.
“The house is going to be repaired but we have no start date for that yet.” The roof was also left exposed to the elements, which caused water damage in the aftermath of the fire.
But, despite the physical damage to their home and belongings, Laura says: “We have each other and our health and that’s all that matters.”
Learning that Olivia, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has been nominated for a Pride of Britain award has been a massive boost to the family’s morale.
This year marks the 25th Pride of Britain Awards
Laura says: “Olivia understands it’s a very special award and it’s to congratulate her for being such a brave little girl. When I told her, she said ‘Do I get a certificate?’ Her little face beamed.
“Olivia has also been nominated for a bravery award with our local radio station, too, so she might get used to all these honours soon.”
Laura, who did not have contents insurance, has been told the fire started nextdoor but spread to her house within three minutes.
Her former colleagues have set up a GoFundMe page to support the family, with the total amount standing at nearly £7,000.
Laura says: “The money from the fundraiser has given us some light. We are so blown away by the generosity shown to us. The donations will go towards replacing things like an oven, household essentials like beds, clothes, toys and so much more.”
A spokeswoman for the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service told the Daily Mirror that: “The fire is believed to have been caused by smokers’ materials.”