Hero dad's flip flops 'melted' as he ran to save children from burning building - Liverpool Echo

Hero dad's flip flops 'melted' as he ran to save children from burning buildingDads Ash Holden and Aaron Lees sprinted towards the blaze as black smoke filled the airCommentsNewsBen

Haslam17:38, 03 Jun 2025 A heroic dad's flip-flops "melted" as he ran into a burning building to save children who were inside, his girlfriend told the ECHO. Fire crews raced to Marsh House

Lane in Warrington yesterday (June 2) at around 5.30pm after reports of a fire at a block of flats.

The fire started in the stairwell before spreading up the building, with families quickly becoming trapped before they were rescued by firefighters who quickly arrived at the scene. Before

crews arrived at the blaze, it was six-year-old Darcie-Jo who first raised the alarm to those sat downstairs that the fire had taken hold of the building.

‌ Reacting quickly to the alarm, Ash Holden and Aaron Lees, who both live in the building and were outside, sprinted into the building to help families get out before the fire spread

further.

‌ Aaron's girlfriend and mother of his seven-year-old son Parker, Jess Hatton, told the ECHO at the edge of the cordon where homeless residents had gathered how her partner's heroic acts

helped children escape.

The 34-year-old said: "It's the kids, they were at the windows screaming for help because their parents were downstairs.

"When it happened, a little girl came running out saying there was a fire but before that Aaron came downstairs with drinks because we were sat outside. As he was coming down, he saw there

was smoke coming from a quilt in the stairwell.

Article continues below "He said he stamped it out and then ten minutes later it had been started again. Ash and Aaron went running in to bring the children out of the building. Aaron's

flip-flops began melting while he was in there it was that hot."

Ash Holden with Jess Hatton and her son Parker on Marsh House Lane One unlikely hero was an Amazon delivery driver, who the residents claim, climbed up balconies to help carry stranded

children down before the fire brigade arrived.

‌ Jess continued: "He came to deliver a parcel and just started helping. We have no idea who he is and he just got back in his van and drove off after it all."

When approached about the claims the quilt, believed to have been near an electrical cupboard in the stairwell of the block of flats, Cheshire Police declined to go into details about the

joint investigation with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. The force said enquiries remain ongoing and confirmed the child arrested was a 10-year-old boy on suspicion of arson.

Jess told the ECHO how her son had only had a football kit on when they got away from the building, with his football team, Moore United, now raising money for the family whose flat on the

third floor likely to have been destroyed in the fire.

‌ Another mum, Farah Sheikh, 32, was about to go into the block when the blaze took hold of the building, quickly ringing her sister and running down the street to get her four-month-old

Nate away from the black smoke that spread quickly through the streets of the estate.

Two other local heroes are Paul Callaghan, 31, and Callum Boardman, 20, who have donated van loads of supplies for the people who have been made homeless by the fire. Appearing at the cordon

on Tuesday morning, they offered further supplies to those in need of clothes, food and water while they organise their lives.

Robbie Wilde, 33, from Warrington‌ In dramatic footage shown to the ECHO, black smoke can be seen filling the sky as flames roared on. The road remained cordoned off on Tuesday morning as a

structural survey and safety checks were conducted.

Also at the edge of the cordon was Robbie Wilde, who, along with his partner Chantelle, slowly lowered their two-year-old from their third floor flat to the ground after throwing a double

mattress out the window.

Robbie said: "We have nothing but the clothes on our back. Robbie Jr was sent down in his nappy, he didn't even have clothes until someone donated some for him. We've booked the Travelodge

for two nights but I don't know what's going to happen after that."

‌ Detective Inspector David Schofield from Cheshire Police said: “I’d like thank residents for their patience throughout the night while emergency services dealt with the incident.

“We’re working closely with our partners at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause of the fire and would urge anyone with any information which may aid our investigation to

get in touch.”

Anyone with information who has not yet contacted police should call 101 or go to www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us quoting IML 2102808.

Article continues below Alternatively, information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.