Telford house fire: Neighbours 'lucky to be alive'
A Telford father today said he and his six children feel lucky to be alive after a fire destroyed a neighbour's house.
The fire tore through the home yesterday in Hurleybrook Way, Leegomery, which is believed to be shared accommodation.
A 48-year-old father, who lived in the next-door house said his son, who sleeps in the room neighbouring the property was woken by shouting and woke the rest of the family to get out.
He said: "I was fast asleep, the next thing I know is my son banging on the gate saying that we need to get out because the house next door is on fire."
The fire started at around 4am yesterday.
Neighbours congregated in the street as Shropshire Fire Service fought the blaze, which took hold in minutes and caused extensive damage.
The neighbour, who wished to remain nameless, said: "We've been on the street all night, we haven't been able to get back in."
He and his family were the first to call firefighters, with three other neighbours alerting them to the blaze afterwards.
He says his house has also been damaged, adding: "There was quite a lot of water, a lot of mess and smoke got into the loft, the guttering is all damaged.
"I can't complain though because the firefighters were doing their job, they have saved our lives and we appreciate it.
"Now we've got to wait for the insurance people to come and hopefully we will be able to go back inside.
"We are very lucky, God saved us. I have had to go to my neighbour's house to pray.
"Lots of the neighbours have been very helpful, they came out and offered to let me and my children go inside, they are nice people."
