Braintree fire: House blaze which killed mother and daughter, 11, sparked by candle

Tragic: (left to right) Rafal Kordaszewski, his daughters Emila Kordaszewska, 11, Milena Kordaszewska, 18 and wife Alina Kordaszewska.
Family handout/PA Wire
Jamie Bullen24 December 2016

A blaze that killed a mother and her 11-year-old daughter at their house in Essex was sparked by a candle.

Alina Kordaszewska, 41, and her daughter, Emila, were pronounced dead at their home in Braintree after a fire ripped through the property just before 10.45pm on Wednesday.

An investigation by Essex Fire and Rescue revealed the fire was started accidentally by candles in the lounge.

Two women aged 43 and 18 managed to get out of the property before emergency services arrived.

Alina's husband, Rafal Kordaszewski, said: "Alina and Emila were very much loved and we will miss them greatly.

House fire: Two women managed to escape from the building before emergency services arrived
PA

"We would like to thank everyone for their support and everything they have done for us.

"We have had so much support from our friends and the community; we are overwhelmed by their generosity.

"Friends have also brought us clothes and food and have helped us with housing."

Post-mortem examinations provisionally gave the cause of death for the mother and daughter as smoke inhalation.

On Thursday flowers and candles were left outside the house where a Christmas decoration of Father Christmas hanging from a ladder remained unscathed, while windows on the first floor at the front of the house were smashed.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Adam Eckley said: "This is a tragic incident, and to fall so close to Christmas has made it even more heart-breaking.

“The fire service is doing everything we can to work with the local communities to reassure them and keep them safe".

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