Six houses destroyed in Northfleet fire leaving community homeless

KentOnline / KMTV

No one was injured, but questions are now being asked about how the fire started.

Transcript

00:00 Five o'clock I noticed a load of smoke go past the window.

00:03 I shouted up to my son, because he lives there as well,

00:07 and he looked out of his window and said,

00:09 just shouted, come downstairs, get out the house,

00:12 because there's a house on fire.

00:13 We came out and the street was thick with smoke.

00:16 We could just about see to get across the road.

00:18 Belongings burnt, waterlogged, and destroyed.

00:22 Memories up in smoke and homes lost.

00:27 The aftermath of a fire destroying six homes

00:30 in Norfleet.

00:31 Taking eight hours to put out, the fire service

00:35 has today taken some residents back into their homes

00:38 to retrieve any salvageable belongings or documents.

00:43 And for Rosemary, this might be the last time

00:45 she sees her home of 45 years.

00:48 A tough goodbye.

00:50 And everything we had are all gone.

00:53 We've lived here all our lives, near enough.

00:56 And everything we own are in these properties.

00:59 And it is such bad dirt.

01:01 It's really, really horrifying to think that you--

01:05 it's the silly things you think of, but then photos and stuff

01:08 like that.

01:09 We can't replace them.

01:10 My children, when they were younger, and all my grandchildren,

01:13 I can't replace all that.

01:15 It's just-- we've got nothing.

01:18 But the fire could have been worse.

01:21 Now, there was the threat that the fire could spread

01:23 from that set of terraces into the adjacent set.

01:26 So to stop that, the fire service

01:28 put foam along here and up the walls

01:31 to try and stop the fire spreading.

01:33 Thankfully, it worked.

01:35 Questions remain on how it started.

01:37 And investigations have begun.

01:40 There's significant damage.

01:41 The fire has torn through the properties.

01:44 We have also had to gain access to the roof space

01:47 to extinguish it.

01:48 So this morning, obviously, we're

01:49 really mindful of the impact on those directly affected

01:52 in the wider community.

01:53 So we're working closely to support

01:55 those directly affected.

01:56 Thankfully, no one was injured.

01:58 But it could have been different.

02:00 The elderly lady at number eight,

02:02 she was still in her house with her daughter.

02:04 I went in there, told them to get out,

02:06 because the roof was on fire.

02:08 Grabbed the family cat.

02:10 I don't know what's going to happen with their homes.

02:12 I don't know if they're going to take the houses down or try

02:15 and redo them up again.

02:16 I don't know.

02:17 But all I know is people have lost a lot of stuff.

02:19 And they're going to need a lot of help.

02:21 There is a GoFundMe page.

02:23 Help as much as you can.

02:25 And donations are already coming in.

02:27 But they're still without a home.

02:30 Gravesham Council says they'll provide temporary shelter.

02:34 Of course, our temporary accommodation is so stretched.

02:37 But these people are going to have to be given priority

02:40 because of the trauma they've been through.

02:41 And we will stay in contact with them

02:43 because we do care about our residents and our tenants.

02:46 How quickly are they going to get into these houses?

02:49 Well, at the moment, they're being

02:52 put in overnight accommodation, which is hotel accommodation,

02:56 nice hotels.

02:58 And we will then take it from there,

02:59 from the point of view of how quickly we can move them in,

03:02 what's empty, where it is, where it's available,

03:04 and what their needs are.

03:06 Whether these houses are pulled down or can be saved,

03:09 the homeowners are left in shock,

03:12 homeless and awaiting answers.

03:14 Gabriel Morris for Caine TV in North Leet.

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