After a mother and her three children went to bed in their family home in England, a devastating fire tore through the house before morning, claiming all four lives and leaving loved ones with a loss they say will be “felt forever.”

Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children Leo, 16, Ellis, 8, and Prudence, 7, were killed after flames tore through their home on Stone Square in Bootle, Merseyside, during the early hours of Sept. 22.

According to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), emergency crews were alerted to the fire at 3:38 a.m. and arrived seven minutes later to find the semi-detached property “well alight.”

“At the height of the incident, six fire engines were in attendance,” MFR shared in a statement, adding that “firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property,” and started searching for anyone trapped inside as they battled the flames.

Despite those efforts, Elisha and her three children were found unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom and pronounced dead at the scene.

Another person who was outside the property was taken to hospital with burns.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established, with Merseyside Police and MFRS carrying out a joint investigation.

Community ‘risked their own lives’

As emergency crews worked at Stone Square, the scale of the tragedy quickly reached beyond the family’s home.

Neighbors had heard screaming and rushed outside as the fire took hold, with some reportedly attempting to find ladders, break windows and get inside before emergency crews arrived.

“Some of the guys here are real heroes. They were trying to run in, get ladders or smash windows to get people out. People nearly risked their own lives to try and help,” neighbor Loti Nambombe told the BBC.

Nambombe, who is caring for the family’s dog following the fire, also created an online fundraiser to help the relatives with funeral costs and other expenses. As of Sept. 24, it had raised more than $14,500 USD.

“Everybody just wants to do something to help, that’s our duty as neighbors and as a community,” Nambombe told the outlet.

‘Ripped the whole family apart’

That grief was also visible close to the near the area police had blocked off, where a memorial of flowers, candles, balloons, photographs and children’s toys started to build.

“Even if I didn’t know her, I’d still be here paying my respects because the young children have lost their lives and so has the mother,” said Rachel, who had grown up near Elisha.

“She made her children happy, she did everything for her children,” she told the outlet after placing some flowers near the scorched home. “They were loved. It’s just really, really sad.”

“It’s ripped the whole family apart. It’s a tight-knit community; everyone does everything for everyone. They all look out for each other, that’s what you need in a community,” Rachel said, adding, “She made her children happy, she did everything for her children. They were loved. It’s just really, really sad.”

Loss will be ‘felt forever’

But it was Elisha’s own family who revealed just how much had been lost inside that home.

“Our whole family is devastated by the loss of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence,” they said in a statement released through Merseyside Police.

“Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunty, niece and cousin. She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us.

“Our beautiful babies, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure and brought so much joy, happiness and love to our family. They filled our lives with laughter and precious memories that we will cherish forever,” the family said.

The statement continued: “The tragic loss of Elisha and our three precious children has left us heartbroken. They have all been taken from us far too soon. The loss we are experiencing is unimaginable, and the impact on our family will be felt forever.”

As they grieve and support one another during the “devastating tragedy,” the family has asked for privacy while thanking “everyone for their kindness, support and understanding.”

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