Meath teenager saves family from blaze that destroyed their home

The family say she is their guardian angel.

Last week a family in Meath were left devastated after their home was destroyed in a blaze, but say that they still feel blessed to be alive. The Murray family, who live in Ashbourne, were putting up their Christmas tree when their 14-year-old daughter rushed downstairs and alerted them all that they needed to get out immediately. Shockingly, a fire had started upstairs in their hot press and soon turned into a raging inferno.   The Murray family have said that while they are heartbroken to have lost their home, especially so close to Christmas, they are thankful that they all made it out of the blaze safe;

"Only for Heidi discovering the fire when she did, this might be a very different story. She was listening to her music and she said I don't know why but I just thought I'm not going to listen to my music anymore, I'm going to watch YouTube so she took out her ear pods and she heard a crackling noise she came out of the bedroom and she was met with flames coming out of the hot press."

Due to the Murray family losing everything in the blaze, their family and friends have started a GoFundMe in a bid to help them get back on their feet after a traumatic couple of weeks. So far the fundraiser has raised €4,350 of its €5,000 goal in the three days that it has been active. The Murrays are also incredibly grateful to their local community who they say have rallied around them since the fire.

"We have lost most of our clothes but the community is Ashbourne has been unbelievable, my husband coaches down in Home Farm and the football community has been amazing as well. "People are rallying around us donating clothes for us all, St Vincent De Paul has been so good with the hotel and helped us with food. The response we have had from people we don't even know is so overwhelming, we will be forever grateful to everyone. I don't know how we will repay everyone; we will have to have a big street party next year."

Due to the extensive damage the family will not be able to return to their home for at least six months but they are still counting their blessings that no one was hurt.