Emmerdale child star’s tragic death in heartbreaking fire before school play
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Sophie Firth appeared on Emmerdale as a baby but tragically lost her life at just three years old when her dress caught fire and she suffered 70 per cent burns across her body
Little Sophie Firth, who starred on Emmerdale, died in a tragic freak accident(Image: rossparry.co.uk/syndication)
A former child star who appeared on Emmerdale died in a freak accident when her costume for an upcoming school performance caught fire.
Sophie Firth, who was just three-years-old at the time of her death, was at her grandmother’s house and standing by a gas fire when her outfit set alight and she became engulfed in flames.
Her mother Amy Harhoff, then 28, used a blanket to try to put out the fire but little Sophie was still seriously hurt.
In a Veterans Agency report published via Gov.UK, “the prognosis for burns patients varies according to the severity of the damage caused and the age and physiological fitness of the victim.”
It adds: “More serious burns carry a greater risk and death can occur in the most severe cases.
Sophie’s outfit caught fire and she suffered 70 per cent burns across her body(Image: rossparry.co.uk/syndication)
“The risk of death is related more to the area burned than to the depth, TBSA (total body surface area) of over 40 per cent carrying the most risk.”
Sophie suffered 70 per cent burns across her body.
She and her family had been temporarily living at her grandmother’s house in Skellow, Doncaster, while their home in Austerfield, Doncaster was being renovated.
But on Sunday, December 2 2012, tragedy struck.
The following week, Sophie’s nursery school was putting on a nativity play and the little girl had a part to play. She was trying on her costume to show family when the horrifying accident occurred.
Sophie was taken to the burns unit at Sheffield Children’s Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit in Newcastle, where she was given a skin graft.
But Sophie contracted a blood infection and her organs began to fail. Her devastated parents, Amy and Neil, were with her when she died.
Sophie Firth played Angelica King as a baby in 2009 on ITV’s Emmerdale(Image: rossparry.co.uk/syndication)
Shortly after Sophie’s death, the Daily Mail reported the grieving couple shared their heartbreak over the loss of their “beautiful little girl” and said they would “carry their little princess in their arms forever”.
Sophie spent three months on the beloved ITV soap Emmerdale in 2009 when she was a baby, playing Angelica, the daughter of Jimmy and Nicola King.
Sophie was replaced by Rebecca Bakes, who has grown up on screen playing the character.
At the time of Sophie’s death, an Emmerdale spokesperson said: “We are devastated to hear of Sophie’s tragic death. Our sincere condolences go out to her family.
“Everyone at Emmerdale is thinking of them at this sad time.”
Sophie’s uncle Mick Harhoff issued a tribute to his “beautiful niece” and said the family would never get over the loss.
He added: “Sophie was such a lovely little girl and she was exceptionally bright. She always used to say that she wanted to be a princess.
“You do expect that one day you may bury your parents but you never expect to bury a child.”
Per the Daily Mail, a spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “This was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the girl’s family and friends at this extremely distressing time.
“Any fire can be dangerous. We would urge people to pay particular attention to the risk of fires in their home during the cold weather and as we approach the holiday season.”
