A mum “lost everything” after a “faulty” light sparked a fire which gutted her home in just ten minutes. Michelle Lilley, 41, said the bathroom was “glowing orange” when she ran back to her one-bed council flat to find it on fire.
She’s been left with just a couple of pairs of shoes after the blaze which consumed the bathroom, the bedroom, and the stairs and ruined the rest of the house with smoke damage. Devastated Michelle said the home in Chaddesden, Derby, was her “safe haven” after a difficult past and she’s been sofa surfing for nearly four weeks.
And that she’s still waiting for a new property – which she fears could take a year. Michelle said: “It was surreal. I was extremely upset. I was screaming and shouting.
“The flames were orange – my bathroom was glowing orange. It was awful. I just stood there crying while the fire service sorted out the fire.”
“I’ve not slept properly since the fire and I’m scared to have a shower now. It is a scary, surreal experience.” Michelle popped round the corner to see partner John Rutherford, 61, but within ten minutes of arriving her neighbour ran through the door saying her house was on fire, on March 27.
“I thought it wasn’t possible as everything was switched off,” said Michelle. “I get back to my house and the house is on fire.”
She watched as firefighters extinguished the flames. “I’ve lost everything”, she said. “I have about 10% of my belongings left. I’ve got a few pairs of shoes, two mirrors, a couple of boxes of paperwork and no clothes.”
Two pet canaries, Sunny and Sunshine, also died in the fire from smoke inhalation, and she lost all of her late mother’s possessions. “That has all gone because it was in the loft,” she said.
“I feel upset and angry. I feel helpless.” Michelle says she has had an epileptic seizure due to the stress.
“The council have given me nothing, except a garage for my salvageable items and given me a month to get my stuff out,” she said. “I don’t know where they expect me to live.
“I feel let down and alone.” She wants better electrical checks for the residents in her area.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it was called to the flat. A spokesperson added: “An investigation concluded the most probable cause of the fire to be accidental electrical.”
A spokesperson for Derby Homes said: “Derby Homes manages more than 12,000 homes, and our priority is ensuring all of these are safe and well-maintained for our tenants. We complete electrical checks every five years, which includes all appliances, including showers.
“Initial feedback from the fire service suggested the probable cause of the fire at this property was a light fitting. Our electrical safety team subsequently considered the potential for the shower to be the cause, but this has now been discounted. Test results on the shower last July were normal.
“Our usual policy is to provide alternate accommodation while works are carried out following an emergency unless a tenant indicates they have somewhere to stay temporarily. We haven’t imposed a timescale on storing the tenant’s goods. We will be contacting the tenant to confirm how we can support her further.”
