It's disgusting to make us live in fire-hit house
It's disgusting to make us live in fire-hit house
0 Comments | Evening Post; Bristol (UK), Jul 16, 2010 | by Dominic Harris
A SOUTHMEAD family has been forced to live in their fire-damaged home for three weeks - because the council claims it is habitable.
Every room of Emma Furnivall's home in Danbury Crescent was left covered in soot after a fire in their neighbour's front garden.
The front of their home was left blackened, with cracked double- glazed windows, charred drainpipes and guttering was left hanging from the roof. Inside, net curtains were burned, the carpets had to be ripped out, and the stench of smoke was so bad Miss Furnivall and her two daughters had to move out for a week.
But the day after the fire, a Bristol City Council official told them their home was "liveable".
It was only on Tuesday - almost three weeks after the blaze - that the council offered to help after Miss Furnivall told them she would contact the Evening Post.
The 35-year-old said: "The surveyor came out the next day to assess the damage and told me it was liveable for me and my two girls.
"I thought they were going to put us in temporary accommodation, but he said the windows were only cracked on the outside so it was all right.
"No one came to clean the soot out until Tuesday, so the house has been black for almost three weeks.
"I am disgusted with the council. Would they come out here and live like this, in a fire-damaged house with young children?" A booklet for council tenants states that "the council must carry out urgent repairs which are likely to affect your health, safety or security".
Miss Furnivall also praised a neighbour who forced his way into the fire-engulfed house to rescue her daughter.
Anthony Lawrence broke down the door and snatched 13-year-old Elise Dixon to safety.
The terrified Henbury School pupil panicked as smoke filled the house, and her mum said if it wasn't for Mr Lawrence her daughter could be dead. Miss Furnivall said: "Thank god Anthony was there. He said he didn't think twice because he has children of his own, but bless him, he is my hero."
But modest Mr Lawrence, a father of three, said he was just happy everyone was safe and refused to accept he was a hero.
The 26-year-old tattoo artist said: "I couldn't leave the little girl in there.
"In the smoke all I could see was her pink dressing gown. She was crying so I just grabbed her and the dog, told her I was going to get her out and to close and eyes and hold her breath, and then ran out.
"Emma and her neighbour bought me a crate of beer to say thank you, and it was really nice of them. We are friends for life now."
Miss Furnivall is now desperate to get her life back to normal.
She said: "We were devastated after the fire, but I think myself lucky because Elise was safe
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