A Birmingham family whose home was destroyed by a devastating fire has reached an 'incredible milestone' in their fundraising efforts, thanks to overwhelming support from the local community and beyond.
Mum-of-four Gzala Saddique lost everything when an orange glow outside quickly spread to her car and house, killing both the family's cats. The fire, believed to have started from a wildfire, ravaged their Ward End home of 23 years in a matter of minutes on Monday, August 10.
The two pet cats, sisters born at the property, died in the blaze. One died at the scene, while the other was put down at the vets.
Fundraiser surpasses £6,000
A £10,000 GoFundMe appeal launched by Ms Saddique's niece has now surpassed the 'incredible milestone' of £6,000. In an update, the family expressed their gratitude: "What an incredible milestone. Thank you to everyone who has stood behind the family and helped carry them through this heart-breaking time."
"Your kindness has been truly overwhelming, and we're so grateful for every person who has contributed in any way. We are now 60 per cent of the way there, thank you for helping us get this far."
The family added: "May your kindness return to you in abundance, and may you all be blessed for the support you've shown."
Community rallies around family
In the days after the incident, neighbours rushed to support the family, providing food, drinks, and donations to help rebuild their home. The family shared dramatic photos of the gutted home in the hope of fundraising to rebuild what has been lost.
On the morning of the fire, Ms Saddique had screamed to wake her children, but sadly this caused the cats to run further into the house. Speaking to BirminghamLive, she said: "It's the cats that we are heartbroken about. They were born in my hands."
"We had the mum and they were born here. I litter trained them and everything. They were our babies in the house. My girls [daughters] can't come to terms with it. We have lost so much in the house."
Ongoing support and next steps
The family continues to receive support as they work towards their £10,000 goal. The fundraiser remains open for donations, with the family hoping to rebuild their home and recover from the devastating loss.
