Community rallies behind family just hours after devastating house fire

[dutchman]

The house caught fire in the early hours of the morning



A Bedworth family have been left to pick up the pieces after their home was devastated by a fire in the early hours of the morning.

But the local community is already rallying around them just hours after the blaze.

Emergency services were sent to the property at The Willows shortly before 4am today following calls that a conservatory had caught fire.

Upon arrival, it was clear to fire crews that the situation was far worse than that.

The blaze had quickly spread to the roof of the house itself and crews from Bedworth , Nuneaton and Foleshill worked to extinguish the flames.

Further units from Coleshill and an aerial appliance from West Midlands Fire Service were then called, along with an ambulance to treat the home owners, who had managed to evacuate.

With the blaze extinguished, fire crews left the scene at around 7am, leaving behind a terrible sight.

Now friends, neighbours and the local community have moved quickly, banding together to help the affected family - believed to include a child.

Community group Friends of the Nook have immediately started fundraising, and collecting supplies for the homeowners.

Group co-chair John Ison said: "I was awoken in the early hours and I heard some sort of commotion.

"I looked across and saw that there was a glow on the roof of one of the houses.

"Within minutes the fire engines were there but it was completely up in flames. Luckily, everybody got out.

"I thought to myself, the community has got to come together. The family are just in a state of shock. Obviously, they aren't going to get back what's lost, photographs and the like, but just a little bit will go a long way, if we can donate shoes, books, clothes, that sort of thing.

"So far we've had two single mattresses, four sofas, kitchen equipment, children's toys and clothes, high chairs, adult clothes and kids clothes, and cash donations."

It is believed that Nuneaton and Bedworth borough councillors Sebastian Gran and Kyle Evans are looking into finding a garage to store the donated items until the house is rebuilt.