My wife died in caravan fire after we dozed off in front of the TV – I tried to save her but the flames were too intense
THE devastated husband of a British mum who died in a caravan fire in Turkey has told how he desperately tried to save her.
Hayley Louise Pearce, 54, died after the home she shared with her Turkish husband, Vedat Tugrul Dirik, in Bodrum burst into flames on Thursday.
The mum-of-two, who worked as a life coach, moved to the country a decade ago and married Vedat in December 2021.
Speaking about the tragedy, Vedat described the terrifying moment he woke up after dozing off on the sofa to find the caravan engulfed in flames.
He said he frantically tried to save Hayley and ran to a neighbour for help – but he said the inferno made it “impossible” to get back inside.
“We were sitting watching the television, we just dozed off together, and the next thing I knew was waking up when the caravan was on fire,” he said.
“I grabbed her and shook her to try and wake up, but she didn’t wake up… and all I could see everywhere was smoke and flames.
“I rushed outside and grabbed a fire extinguisher, but when I tried to get back in, the flames were intense.
“A neighbour tried to help. Together we broke a window further down, but even here, it was impossible to get inside.
“The flames were simply too high.”
Vedat said he doesn’t know if his wife ever woke up as the caravan filled with smoke and flames so quickly.
He explained that the couple had lived in the caravan since they tied the knot to be surrounded by nature and “live the dream”.
“We were not allowed to build anything in the countryside,” Vedat said.
“But we were able to put a caravan there, and a friend had some ground which was just perfect.
“So we bought one. We’ve been living there since we got married.
“She was really happy living in nature, surrounded by the green and animals.”
Heartbroken Vedat described his wife as a “wonderful woman” with a “heart of gold”.
He said Hayley loved her two children “very much” and he hoped to give her motorbike to her grandchildren.
Hayley was buried at the Upper Akçaalan Cemetery on Friday, he said.
According to local reports, the fire was potentially caused by an electric heater.
Police declined to comment on the investigation.