A Boxing Day house fire claimed the lives of a mother and her two young children, while their police officer father fights to recover after a desperate rescue attempt. The flames swept through their home in Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud, in the early hours, leaving the family devastated.
Mother and Kids Perish in Fierce Inferno
Fionnghuala Shearman, 38, known as Nu to friends, died alongside her seven-year-old daughter Eve and four-year-old son Ohner. The family’s mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage suffered severe damage, with the roof collapsing and ceilings and stairs caved in.
Her husband Tom, a Gloucestershire police officer, escaped the blaze but remains in hospital. The couple had been married for about ten years.
Heroic Dad’s Desperate Rescue Foiled by Intense Flames
Police confirmed Tom Shearman tried to reach his children by climbing through the bedroom window but was blocked by the raging fire. He smashed through the bathroom window and attempted multiple entries but could not access the bedrooms due to the fire’s severity.
“They have been unable to get to the back bedroom due to the voracity of the fire,” said Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher. “The father has smashed his way out of the house through a bathroom window in order to try to access the children’s bedroom via the outside. He has been unable to enter the property via that bedroom window.”
Emergency crews were called just after 3am on Boxing Day but the fire had already taken hold. Investigations are ongoing, but the fire is not being treated as suspicious.
Community Left Shellshocked, Investigation Continues
Friends described the tragedy as “absolutely shocking” and “dreadful.” One said, “We are all shellshocked to be honest with you. We don’t know what happened.”
Fionnghuala, who ran the canvas and leather bag business Hide and Hammer, recently announced a temporary workshop closure. She was active on social media and enjoyed running with her husband.
Chloe Turner, local Green Party councillor, urged anyone with information to contact police and offered support to the community. “My thoughts are very much with everyone impacted by this tragic incident,” she said.
With recovery efforts continuing amid the unstable wreckage, the community mourns this heartbreaking loss.
