Fire tragedy sisters named

The intense fire completely destroyed the house

Three young sisters who were killed when fire swept through their home in East Yorkshire have been named by police.

They were Samantha Appleton, aged 6, Joanne Appleton, aged 3, and 17-month old Bethany Appleton.

Their 25-year-old mother, Louise Appleton, survived the fire at the house in Fourth Avenue, Goole, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Flowers and cuddly toys left outside the house paid tribute to "three little angels".

Moving tributes

The tributes covered the footpath outside the blackened shell of the terraced house.

Three purple heart-shaped pillows, carried the inscriptions Sam, Joanne and Beth (baby), each signed with a kiss.

One bunch of flowers held a card signed by Chris and Tom, which read: "God has three new little angels today".

Another card read simply: "To three little angels. God bless".

Firefighters arrived to find a serious fire had broken out and the girls' distraught mother was in the garden.

A fire brigade spokesman said the children were found on the first floor, but it was too late to save them.

I have been in the service for 18 years and have not known a fire as severe as this with such a loss of life Station Officer Nick Grainger

The girls' mother is being treated in hospital for the effects of breathing in smoke.

The family moved to Goole in 2002 from Wigan, Greater Manchester, where the girls' father is still thought to be living.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service was called out to the fire just after 0200 GMT.

Eleven fire engines attended and 20 nearby properties had to be evacuated as temperatures reached 1,000 degrees C, fracturing a gas main.

Station Officer Nick Grainger, of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said his officers' actions had been heroic.

He revealed that four firefighters had attempted to rescue the girls.

"It was an incredibly severe fire. I have been in the service for 18 years and have not known a fire a severe as this with such a loss of life," he said.

"Their actions were truly heroic. I cannot put into words what they have done."

Mr Grainger said the heat inside the building began to melt the firefighters' equipment and two officers suffered burn injuries.

And he added: "Not only have they got physical injuries, but they would have been affected emotionally.

"A lot of my men are fathers and have children of their own."

I went outside and could see the mother was crying and sobbing for her kids Gary Jones, neighbour

Neighbour Joan Todkill, 58, who lives opposite the house said the mother's piercing screams had woken her.

"I heard her screaming 'Help me, my babies are in there'.

"I went out to see what was going on but there was nothing I could do, absolutely nothing.

"There was smoke and flames everywhere. She was standing in the street asking for someone to get her babies. She was crying.

"It was absolutely dreadful. I am still in a state of shock."