A NEIGHBOUR has described the desperate battle to save a much-loved mum-of-three from a Sedgley house fire as ladders were put up and people screamed at her to jump. 

Passerby Conna Hincks, 21, was one of the men who tried to save Michelle Howie using a ladder after spotting her near an upstairs window as the blaze ripped through the home in Beacon Road, on Saturday afternoon, May 8.

In a Facebook comment he said: "Tried to get her out of the window as much as I could but there was to much smoke there for me to do anymore than I could."

Michelle, aged 43, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. 

Her 16-year-old daughter Demi managed to escape the fire but was seriously injured.

Neighbours said Mrs Howie was unable to escape the inferno as the window in an upstairs room would not open.

It is believed her husband Shaun desperately tried to reach her but was unable to save her.

One of the first people at the scene has described how flames were ravaging the property. 

Michelle Allen, 37, who lives in the next close was driving up Beacon Lane and saw the smoke and flames coming from the two-storey property.

Michelle, a ward clerk at Newcross hospital, said: “It was thick smoke and we just saw a flame but you could see it was getting worse so I just jumped out the car and got onto the front.

“At that point, there was banging and the windows started to go and we didn’t know if anyone was in there at the time.

“Then Shaun the dad came around the back of the house and was very shocked and said Michelle, Rosie and Demi were in there.

“There were flames all up the stairs at that point and Shaun went back around the back. 

“We were all screaming at the girls to jump and we couldn’t see them at this point but knew they were upstairs.

“We could just hear it all hissing and then at that Demi came stumbling from around the back and Shaun had caught her and she was in shock.

“I put her onto the grass verge and in the recovery position and was looking after her.

“I could see some of the men getting the ladders up but it was too hot to get up there and a few of the lads tried but it was just too hot.

“We all told her to jump and were screaming at her to jump but she couldn’t get the window open it was like a safety catch was on there so she was trapped in the room with the dog I presume. It was too hot to get in.

“I’m just in shock yesterday I cried because I felt guilty but I thought no because I stayed with Demi and her mum obviously got her out of the window.

“It was just the fact we couldn’t get to her and I think that’s going to stay with me forever.

“Shaun was still trying to get back in.”

She said: “Michelle was a very Scottish lady and everyone around her knows her as Scottish El and we would always say hello she was that person who would do anything for you and such kind lady but very private as well.

Commenting on a post on social media Conna Hinks of Wolverhampton explained how he had tried to get into the house to rescue Michelle but the fire was just too hot.

In a Facebook comment he said: "Tried to get her out of the window as much as I could but there was to much smoke there for me to do anymore than I could."