Cops release major update in cause of caravan fire that killed girl, 10, and her dad, 48, in tragic holiday park blaze
COPS have released a major update in the cause of a tragic caravan fire that killed a dad and his 10-year-old daughter.
Lee Baker, 48, and little Esme died in a blaze at a popular holiday park in Lincolnshire in the early hours of Saturday.
Cops have been investigating the incident, searching for the cause of the fire, and released up update today at 5.38pm.
Lincolnshire Police said: “We are today (Tuesday 8 April) able to share the findings of our Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue colleagues, now that their investigations are complete.
“Following the fire that tragically claimed the lives of two people, Lee Baker, 48, and Esme Baker, 10, the cause has been determined as accidental.
“As is standard practice, Lincolnshire Police are still investigating the circumstances in order to prepare a file for the coroner.
“We were called at 3.53am on Saturday, 5 April to a fire in a privately owned caravan, situated within the Golden Beach Holiday Park.”
The pair, from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, were enjoying the first weekend of the school Easter holidays when tragedy struck.
Before emergency crews arrived, one of the bar staff, who lives at the pub and was alerted by the “bright orange light”, raced over and tried to rescue them.
Faith Boyce described how they “didn’t stand a chance to escape” as the flames “burned the static van to the ground”.
She said: “But the caravan had gone up in flames so quickly and ferociously. He tried to help them but there was nothing he could do.
“It disappeared before him, which was very traumatic to see.
“The caravan just burned to the ground before anyone could get inside and two people tragically lost their lives.”
A fundraiser has been created in memory of the pair who were said to be like “two peas in a pod.”
The page, set up by Paige Richmond, says: “Unfortunately on the morning of the April 5, a fire broke out taking the lives of both father Lee and daughter Esme, just ten years old at their holiday home within Ingoldmells, Skegness.
“Lee and Esme were two peas in a pod, both happy go-lucky people who loved life.
“They were and forever remain adored by Genette, his oldest daughter Paige and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting them.
“A charity night is to be later announced to celebrate the life of these two individuals sadly lost far too early.
“Information to be announced at a later date, to which anyone is welcome All contributions are being paid to Lee and Esme’s family.”
You can donate to Paige’s GoFundMe here.