Despair for family after house blaze
Published 31 Dec 2011 12:00
Share this
A DEVASTATED family whose home was destroyed by a raging inferno are starting the new year homeless and struggling to rebuild their lives from the charred wreckage.
Helen Beasley, daughter Rachel, 16, and son Chris, 23, are scattered across Reading with friends and family this week after disaster struck just three days before Christmas. The family's landlord plans to rebuild the ruined Wensley Road terraced house in Coley Park but they claim he has told them they are not welcome to return.
They have not applied for temporary accommodation because Reading Borough Council will not allow them to take their two dogs, six new-born puppies and two cats - which were rescued by Rachel when she ran back into the burning building - and it is unclear if Chris will be allowed to joined them because of his age.
Speaking yesterday (Wednesday), Helen, 48, who works at a Reading care home, told The Chronicle: "My daughter risked her life for these animals and they are telling me we have to get rid of them. It is ridiculous. We are a family, how can anyone say they can only deal with two of us? I'm not prepared to live anywhere without my animals and my son."
The fire started in a bedroom at 4.15pm on Wednesday [21] and is thought to have been caused by a faulty heater. It quickly spread and Rachel, who was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation, fled screaming before teaming up with a neighbour to save the pets. One of the cats was feared dead but turned up on Christmas Eve and was taken in by a neighbour, but the six pups have now been rejected by their confused mother.
Around 20 firefighters spent two hours battling the blaze and prevented it from spreading along the block, from which 50 people were evacuated. It destroyed Christmas presents, sentimental jewellery, old photographs and Little Heath School pupil Rachel's coursework.
The family spent Christmas Day with one of Helen's twin daughters in Reading. Helen said: "It's awful. We are traumatised and right now we don't know where we are going to go. It was my first year back in work and I spent hundreds on Christmas presents to treat everyone and now it's all gone - we've lost everything."
Council spokesman Derek Plews urged Mrs Beasley to apply for temporary accommodation as soon as possible, adding: "Once we have the details we will do everything possible to ensure that the family, including the pets, are able to stay together."
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 29 Dec 11
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
