First picture of four 'cute as buttons' children killed in horror house fire

The four children who tragically died when fire engulfed their family home last night were 'cute as buttons', heartbroken neighbours have said.

The blaze tore through the end-of-terrace house in Stafford in the early hours of this morning, claiming the lives of youngsters Riley, Keegan, Tilly, Olly, who are aged three to eight.

The children's parents, named locally as Natalie Unitt and Chris Moulton, and their youngest child, Jack, were saved and taken to hospital, where they are expected to recover from their injuries.

Heartbroken friends of the family wept as they laid teddy bears and flowers near the scene of the devastating fire this morning. 

Tearful neighbour Wendy Pickering , 58, said: 'I heard the kids screaming, it was horrible.

'The children were very nice, all happy and go lucky, laughing and joking. One of boys would watch me from his window while I was with my dog and wave at me.

'I just can't believe some of the children have passed. The kids were cute as buttons and little tiny tots. Its heartbreaking.'

Ms Unitt is said to have escaped the blaze and banged on the doors of neighbours to raise the alarm.

The children's father then jumped from a window with a young child in his arms as the flames took hold, according to witnesses. 

The fire is said to have started in one of the children's bedrooms before spreading to the rest of the house. 

Neighbour Ms Pickering added: 'We thought it was gas, we saw the windows of the parents room, the flames were going up the roof. I thought they'd all got out.'

Another local resident, Jason Stones, 48, said: 'You could hear small pops and explosions coming from the house. I looked out the window and smoke was pouring from the back of the house down the road.

'My wife dialled 999 while I rushed outside and you could feel the heat coming up the road.

'They are a nice family, but I only know them to say hello to. It is a couple in their 20s or 30s there, I used to see the mum walking the kids to school.

'One of them was in a pushchair but I think the others were of school age. It's a terrible tragedy for the family.

'I have kids of my own but you can't imagine the pain they must be going through. I just feel so gutted for the family and those poor children. The house was absolutely gutted, they didn't stand a chance.' 





MailOnline