GRAN FEARS HOUSE COLLAPSE
Woman, 71, forced to leave her home after blaze next door
A grandmother who was rescued during a fire has fled her Sunderland home out of fear that the house next door may collapse.
Mavis Steele, 71, whose chronic lung condition has also been made worse by the soot and smoke following the blaze, has gone to stay with her daughter Sarah in Manchester.
The grandmother-of-five was rescued from her home in Horatio Street, Roker, by hero passers-by Alfredo “Alfie” Romero and Chris Ward, who raised the alarm.
She was checked over by paramedics for smoke inhalation, and sought sanctuary in a neighbour’s house over the road.
Northumbria Police said they were investigating a possible cannabis farm in the loft of the fire-hit property, where the blaze appeared to have started on March 15.
Almost two weeks after the fire, the damaged property still has a cordon around it.
Mrs Steele’s son Mark, a 50-year-old teacher, said: “She’s that worried that she is moving down to Manchester to be with my sister.
“She has COPD that has been aggravated with the fire and the soot.
“They put a fence around it and nothing has happened since. It’s right outside my mother’s front door, bits of slate and everything is being blown around.
The wall between Mrs Steele’s home and next door now has large holes, letting wind and rain into her loft. It is also covered in soot.
“The main concern is the house next door collapsing,”
Mr Steele added. “The roof is totally uncovered – I can’t believe it’s been left in such a state.”
A Northumbria Police spokesman said the cannabis farm had been removed by police.
Coun Mel Speding, Cabinet Secretary at Sunderland City Council, said: “Council building control inspectors were called out immediately following the fire to inspect the house and check if the building was safe.
“This included inspecting the party wall between the house and the property next door to make sure it was safe. The house itself was fenced off on the advice of building control officers until the necessary repairs could be carried out.
“Responsibility for carrying out the repairs themselves rests with property owner. It would appear that work has now started on site with the removal of the collapsed roof over the weekend.
“If the lady has any ongoing concerns about the safety of the property, we would encourage her to get in touch with our building control team.”
“I can’t believe it’s been left in such a state” MARK STEELE