Dog dies in Penwortham house fire

Fire crews were called to Queenscourt Avenue, off Kingsfold Drive in Penwortham, after the bungalow caught fire shortly after 6pm on Thursday (August 17).

The pensioner was reportedly not at home when the fire broke out, but sadly, his dog was inside and firefighters were unable to save her.

It is believed the fire was caused by a vacuum cleaner that was plugged in and charging. Neighbours say the man has ‘lost everything’ in the blaze.

Pictures from the scene show the semi-detached bungalow gutted by the fire, but fire crews were able to prevent it from spreading to the home next door.

A fire service spokesperson said: “At 6.11pm, three fire engines from Penwortham, Preston and Bamber Bridge attended a domestic building fire on Queenscourt Avenue, Penwortham.

“Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used two hose reels and a ventilation unit to extinguish the fire.

"Crews were in attendance for two hours and thirty minutes.”

Neighbours launch GoFundMe

One of the man’s neighbours, Lisa Hagen, has launched a GoFundMe to help him get back on his feet.

She said: “My poor neighbour lost everything tonight in a house fire, including his little dog.

“While we can’t replace her I thought we could at least help him get some clothes etc together until he’s back on his feet.”

If you’d like to donate, you can find the GoFundMe here.