We've had a fire in our rented house advice needed !!!!!

AmandaD28

Hi people,

I live in LA housing with my OH and my two sons aged 8yrs and 4 yrs and am expecting our first baby together in Jan.

Last night OH was working nightshift and I went to bed just before 12pm at around 1.30am I woke feeling sick (this is normal for me my morning sickness has never gone away) I got up and opened our bedroom door to go to the toilet and could hear cracking and an orange glow was present outside our house at the back.

I raced downstairs to find that the carpet offcuts from our new stair carpet which were fitted 2 days ago and had been put down the side of the house until OH could get to the tip was well on fire.

I (very stupidly on reflection) opened our back door and began to throw buckets of water over the fire but was fighting a loosing battle with the wind being so strong so rang the emergency services.

They attended promptly and extinguished the fire I had got the kids out and we were with a neighbour by the time the brigade arrived. They were unable to establish a clear cause but assumed someone passing has thrown a cigarette which has started the blaze.

The LA H & S inspector is visiting our property on Thursday to look at the damage and order any repairs - the back door is broken but secure enough for the time being and the two wooden shed doors on the outbuilding are all damaged.

OH seems to think this will be our fault because the carpet perhaps shouldn't have been there. We also had electrics in the outbuildings running appliances which is now broken and all the appliances are broken. I'm not bothered about that I am glad we are all safe and try not to think what may have happenned had I not woken when I did because the fire was close to coming through the back door.

Anyone got any advice as to what may happen next ? Fire brigade said its just purely accidental but OH has scared me thinking maybe it is our fault ? Clearly had we of predicted this was going to happen the carpet would never have been there. Neither of us smoke anymore we gave up in March/April this year in order to conceive but I also guess if they look hard enough they will find one or two old butts in the garden is this likely to affect things ?

Sorry if that seems to be a bit rambling only 3 hrs sleep last night and obviously still very shocked and dreading going to bed again tonight.

Any advice appreciated thank you

xx

pigpen

They are likely to jus look at what repairs are needed rather than casting blame.. Glad you are all safe though.. it is very very scary.. we had a kitchen fire a few years ago and it was awful..

Contents insurance should help with any decor that was damaged if the LA wont

AmandaD28

Thanks pigpen !

I hadn't really thought about it tbf ! Just with OH saying that that is what they will do I think its silly if they do the fire brigade described it as one of those things really couldn't do anything to prevent it just an accident were his words.

It was indeed very very scary when I think what could have happenned to us all

xx

summerday

I agree with Pigpen, really don't think you will get blamed for it, lots of people temporarily keep things by their houses, doubt they can use that to blame you for cause of a fire.

So glad you are all safe and well. x

CandyApocalypse

It's not like you doused them with petrol and put a sign up saying 'please burn me' As you said, it's likely someone has just thrown a cigarette without thinking. Even if it was a firebug, they would have just found something else to burn to start the fire. Nothing you could have done about it.

I'm sure it's not the first time things like this have happened, and I don't think you will be blamed. More likely they are coming to assess the damage and see what needs to be done from their end.

Glad to hear you are all safe though.

paddy's_mum

Call me daft, if you like, but please keep half an eye on your emotional health for the next few weeks.

I went through a very serious house fire from which I was (according to the Fire Brigade) unbelievably lucky to escape with my life. In the following weeks, I was so busy working 18 hour days trying to salvage our possessions and my way of life that I didn't realise that I was slowly but surely entering into a nervous breakdown. I'd spend night after night trapped in nightmares and horror from which I couldn't awaken.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have been alerted and aware and saved myself an awful lot of grief and misery. I'm sure you'll come through this without any real problems and wish you well.

PS you have now got good smoke alarms fitted, haven't you?

AmandaD28

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Call me daft, if you like, but please keep half an eye on your emotional health for the next few weeks.

I went through a very serious house fire from which I was (according to the Fire Brigade) unbelievably lucky to escape with my life. In the following weeks, I was so busy working 18 hour days trying to salvage our possessions and my way of life that I didn't realise that I was slowly but surely entering into a nervous breakdown. I'd spend night after night trapped in nightmares and horror from which I couldn't awaken.

If I'd known then what I know now, I would have been alerted and aware and saved myself an awful lot of grief and misery. I'm sure you'll come through this without any real problems and wish you well.

PS you have now got good smoke alarms fitted, haven't you?

Really sorry to hear of your experience paddys mum !

Its just all a bit of a shock atm I think OH is taking it worse than me tbh he keeps going on about the mess and the expense I keep reminding him they are posessions sure its an inconvenience and it will cost us to replace the appliances BUT we are all alive and well and he did not return to a dead fiancee and children this morning we've just had a row as he left for work I am so annoyed with him I don't care about "stuff" I am just so glad for waking to be sick and discovering what was going on.

Yes we have smoke alarms I now have a new one fitted outside the kitchen as of today because the other two are fitted on the stairs and have been for ages now the bottom one activated last night eventually but that was after I tackled the blaze and the house filled with smoke, I don't think I ever considered it before but had I not woken last night when I did the fire would have came through the house and when it reached the stairs our only option would have been breaking windows in the kids room our escape window is at the top of the stairs but leads onto the outbuilding roof which would have been useless to us in the way the fire started.

xx

rpc

had I not woken last night when I did the fire would have came through the house and when it reached the stairs our only option would have been breaking windows in the kids room our escape window is at the top of the stairs but leads onto the outbuilding roof which would have been useless to us in the way the fire started.

Provided the doors are shut along the way, you should have enough warning between the fire entering the house and reaching the stairs to escape safely. Even residential doors should provide enough protection to keep the fire back and there would be enough smoke to set off the alarms. If you left the doors open, then it is possible the fire would rip through in a few minutes blocking your escape.


You shouldn't worry about costs - even if you do need to pay some, it would almost certainly be covered by your insurance.

QuackQuackOops

Why dont you just wait and see what they say first?