Mother who lost husband to housefire is looking for help to rebulid her family's home

Ballingarry woman Emma Scott (41) is looking to rebuild her family home for her seven children after the devastating loss of her husband John (45) in a house fire at their family home last February.

It is believed that the devastating  fire was caused by an electrical fault, but the details will not be established until the inquest. A date has yet to be set for it.

The circumstances of John’s death were devastating to Emma and her children, as Emma and their oldest daughter Lauren were in Sligo for the birth of Lauren’s first child on the Saturday before the fire.

New mum Lauren (20) was on her way home from hospital with the baby on Sunday morning when Emma got a phone call just as she was getting out of the shower to say her house was on fire.

Since John died, Emma has been living out of black bags and boxes in a small bedroom with Emily, Saoirse, baby John and Shona at Lauren’s house.

Emma tried to hold back the tears of the loss she has suffered as she explained her motivation to get her kids back into their family home which will require significant work to be brought back to the home she and her kids remember.

“I couldn’t care about material things. I’m not that type of person. Clothes, shoes and all that sort of thing can be replaced in time, but I want my kids to be able to sleep in their own bed in their own home.”

Locals in the area have cleared out the house and an army of volunteer builders, carpenters, painters, plasterers, roofers, tilers and electricians are waiting in the wings to give their time to rebuild John and Emma’s home, when the necessary funding is raised for building materials.

“Everyone has been very good since it happened,” Emma said.

“Building materials are very expensive at the moment so we’re hoping the funding can come for the re-build.”

Emma’s friend Lynda Kirwan is also going to shave her head, while singer and friend Ciara McCormack – who sang at Emma and John’s wedding three years ago, and John’s funeral three months ago – will perform in Kilkenny on June 3.

To donate to the gofundme fundraiser visit the following link. www.gofundme.com/f/help-scott-rebuild-her-home

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