Fundraiser launched for families affected by devastating house fire in Sandy
The blaze broke out at around 2pm on Monday, September 29
A fundraiser has been launched to help families affected by a “devastating” house fire on Winchester Road in Sandy this week.
Nicki Trim, who lives on the road, said she went to investigate after seeing smoke and ended up helping raise the alarm.
“Two houses have been lost, families displaced, not to mention other homes along the same terrace that have now got smoke damage,” she said.
The blaze broke out at around 2pm on Monday, September 29, with firefighters tackling flames which had spread into the roofs of at least two properties.
Residents were advised to keep their windows and doors shut, while Winchester Road was closed for several hours.
Nicki says the families are now facing the difficult task of working out what they have lost and what their insurance will cover.
“It’s so soon. It’s a couple of days that I’m sure that they probably aren’t even getting any answers themselves yet,” she said.
One family was due to go on holiday at the weekend, but has been unable to travel after passports were destroyed in the fire.
“There was a family that was due to go on holiday at the weekend. They can’t because their passports have obviously been burnt,” Nicki said.
She has set up a GoFundMe appeal to support all of the affected households, including those who have lost their homes and others dealing with severe smoke damage.
The money raised could help with emergency clothing, food, school uniforms, travel, temporary accommodation and cleaning costs.
Nicki, who previously ran a cleaning company, is also volunteering her own services to help clean properties affected by smoke.
“I know what smoke damage can do and how hard it is, the smell and to get it off the walls,” she said.
Local businesses and members of the community have also offered cleaning, electrical and other services free of charge.
Nicki says the response has been "overwhelming".
“It just shows you that community spirit is still alive.
"We forget about each other when we get on with our daily lives and in something like this… it’s a shame it takes something like this, but unfortunately a tragedy does bring the community together again,” she said.