FAMILY ‘LOST EVERYTHING’ IN BLAZE AT TAKEAWAY
PARENTS AND FOUR CHILDREN FLED FROM THEIR UPSTAIRS FLAT
A DAD says he, his partner and four children have lost virtually everything they own after a fire in the takeaway below their Leicester flat, writes Adrian Troughton.
Will Black said he ran to get his children, aged 12, 10, eight and three, when fire broke out at the Golden Spice, in Narborough Road, Leicester, on Tuesday.
He said: “We all stood outside and watched as the fire and smoke took hold. Basically, we are homeless and have more or less lost everything.”
The family stayed at an apartment for three days, paid for by their landlady. Leicester City Council is now looking to find them somewhere to live.
A MAN has told how he rushed his four young children out of their first floor flat when smoke started coming up through the floorboards from the takeaway below.
Will Black said he and his partner ran downstairs to Golden Spice, in Narborough Road, Leicester, last Tuesday afternoon to be told it was on fire.
He said: “I ran back upstairs to get the children, who were already out on the flat roof outside. My partner had told them to all go out there as soon as we saw the smoke.
“I carried our three-year-old son while the other children, a 12-year-old girl, and boys aged 10 and eight, went down in front of me.
“We met their mum downstairs and we all stood outside and watched as the fire and smoke took hold.
“The children were upset because they thought their home and all their belongings would be burned.
“It was awful to see, awful to stand there so helplessly and just watch.”
The fire was started by burning hot cooking oil, fire investigators found.
Emergency services were called shortly before 4pm. No-one was hurt.
Mr Black said he and his family are now homeless.
“The place is so smoke damaged that most of the stuff in there can’t be salvaged and we didn’t have any insurance,” he said.
“Basically, we are homeless and have more or less lost everything.”
Mr Black said he and his family stayed at an apartment for three days, paid for by their landlady.
“After that we had to find our own accommodation,” he said.
“Luckily, the Red Cross, which helped us in the street on the day, stayed in touch.
“They contacted Leicester City Council which got us hostel-style accommodation in Mowmacre.
“The council said it will look for temporary accommodation for us but we need somewhere permanent.”
Mr Black said his partner and the children do not want to return to the flat they had lived in for six years.
“They are all scared that there could be another fire at any time. A fire when we are all asleep and then we are unable to get out,” he said.
Jas Cheema, who runs the Golden Spice, said: “I paid for three nights accommodation for them.
“They have made it clear they do not want to come back to the flat. That is their decision. I have tried to help them as much as I can.”
She said she hoped the Golden Spice would reopen in four to six weeks.
A council spokesman said: “We have provided the family with temporary accommodation and we’re looking to find them a permanent home quickly as possible.”