Neighbours tell of misery living next door to hoarder (From Echo)
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Neighbours tell of misery living next door to hoarder
10:31am Friday 14th December 2012 in Local News By Jon Austin
Neighbours tell of misery living next door to hoarder
NEIGHBOURS living next to a hoarders’s house which blazed for more than five hours have told how their home was wrecked by water as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.
Trevor Wilson, 45, and wife Kelly, had to evacuate their home in Gambleside, Vange, on Sunday morning after it became filled with thick black smoke.
It was after Alan Wrigley, aged in his 70s’, home - which was packed with 25 years worth of clutter - next door caught fire at 8.30am.
The couple also told of the nightmare of living next door to a hoarders, whose garden was also littered in junk, including 12 trollies and a dead cat buried under rubbish.
It took firefighters more than five hours to put out the flames due to the huge amount of smouldering junk filling each room, and four fire engines full of water were poured onto the house.
Trevor said: “Because of the amount of water it just seeped into our house. The carpets were waterlogged and we have had to pull them up.
It was only fitted in the lounge a year ago and laminate flooring in the hall six months ago. It will cost us about £1,000.
The Wilsons have pulled up their carpet, taken down the Christmas tree and some wrapped presents were also destroyed.
Kelly said: “We couldn’t see there was so much smoke in the house when we woke up. We were out for most of the day because of this.
We are still going to enjoy Christmas though with the whole family. The way I see it it could have been a lot worse and we are all safe.”
She also said the firefighters who stopped the fire spreading were incredibly brave. The cause of the fire has been determined as accidental but the fire service is trying to establish the exact cause.
It has also been claimed Mr Wrigley, a former professor, lost a clutter-filled home to a fire in Pitsea in similar circumstances 25 years ago before moving to Gambleside.
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Comments (10)
10:52am Fri 14 Dec 12
joeyjojo says...
11:20am Fri 14 Dec 12
andy:) says...
11:24am Fri 14 Dec 12
bumper says...
this peas me off its that persons home he can save what he or she wants
bad look there was a fire but your house insurance should sort that
if he wanted to save crap that is his business keep your nose out i say ...
11:26am Fri 14 Dec 12
black jack ketchum says...
11:38am Fri 14 Dec 12
Eric Whim says...
to a hoarder
11:51am Fri 14 Dec 12
AndyBSG says...
If it hadn't been a fire that caused this problem there would have been other concerns such as sanitation and vermin issues.
12:31pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Ironman says...
People should learn that anything is ok as long as it doesn't adversely effect others.It's called being part of a socially responsible society.
Did anyone report this situation to the Council? Did they respond?
1:44pm Fri 14 Dec 12
I-say-you-say says...
I would like to see you being so calm if your home and belongings had been destroyed by someone's selfishness and clear disregard for rules and regulations.
4:43pm Fri 14 Dec 12
maxell says...
8:54pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Brunning999 says...
You obviously have never lived next door to a nutter !
I feel for the neighbours and there should be something in law which states that if a Neighbour is endangering your life or property then action can be taken.
As for a stupid remark like help them, I would think in 99% of the time that would be point blank impossible.