A MOTHER has thanked her neighbours for alerting her family to a bin fire which spread to a nearby gas pipe.

Catrina Jones, husband Mark Jones, and three-year-old daughter Sapphire, were sleeping in their home in St Mary Street in Baneswell, Newport when a fire - believed to have been started deliberately - began in their rubbish bin.

The fire, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday May 30, spread to a nearby gas pipe.

Fortunately, one of the Jones’ neighbours heard a bang and sprang into action.

Ms Jones said: “We woke up at around 10 to one this morning to our neighbour Helen banging the door and ringing the doorbell.

The aftermath of the fire outside the house in St Mary Street in Newport. Picture - Catrina Jones

The aftermath of the fire outside the house in St Mary Street in Newport. Picture - Catrina Jones

“I sat up and my husband Mark opened the window, saw flames and started shouting that there was a fire.

“Thinking it was just the bin on fire, he tried to put it out at first. But when he noticed the gas pipe, he screamed at us to get out the house.

“Waking up to that was a big shock - I ran out with no shoes on and I was shaking. If Helen hadn’t heard the bang or seen the flames, this would be a different story - even the gas man said we’re very, very lucky.”

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South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene and another neighbour, Linda, helped look after Sapphire, who had told her mother “I don’t like fire”, as the family evacuated their house.

The fire damaged the exterior of the house, but fortunately did not spread inside.

The family are unharmed, albeit shaken up by the ordeal.

The aftermath of the fire outside the house in St Mary Street in Newport. Picture - Catrina Jones

The aftermath of the fire outside the house in St Mary Street in Newport. Picture - Catrina Jones

Ms Jones and her family have lived in the area for around two years and never faced anti-social issues.

But she said: “I don’t know what goes through people’s head when they do stuff like that.

“They could have killed a family. I’m just so thankful to my neighbours for helping us.”

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that attended the incident.

She said: "At approximately 00:53am on May 30 (2021) we received reports of a fire on St Mary Street, Baneswell in Newport.

"Crews attended the scene and extinguished a small refuse fire which had affected an external gas main to the property. A stop message was received at 1.52am."

A Gwent Police spokesperson added: "We received a call regarding a fire in St Mary Road, Newport on Sunday May 30, after a refuse bin was reportedly set alight.

"Officers attended, along with personnel from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Wales and West Utilities, and no injuries were reported."