Family left homeless as fire rips through flats

A fire has ripped through a block of flats in Warwickshire leaving at least one family homeless.

Residents of the Fallow Hill flats, on Sydenham Drive in Leamington Spa, were evacuated as four fire crews tackled the blaze in the bedroom of one of the flats on Tuesday at about 16:30 GMT.

A fundraiser for the family affected, set up by a13-year-old friend, has surpassed £1,500 in just a few hours.

Pictures taken at the scene show a gaping hole in the wall of one flat that was completely destroyed in the blaze.

No injuries were reported, Warwick District Council has confirmed, however a pet of an affected family has died.

Investigations to determine the cause and work to secure the building are ongoing.

The local authority has thanked the community for stepping in to help those displaced by the fire and has said council officers were on site to provide accommodation, food, and clothing to those affected.

Councillor Ian Davison, leader of Warwick District Council said: "Each family now has a plan in place for being re-housed or returning to their flat.

"I understand that one of the families has lost their much-loved family pet and I would like to pass on my condolences to them.

"We are continuing our work with the Fire Service to establish the cause of the fire, which is not yet known, after which time we will be able to start to clear and repair the damage."

He added that housing officers would remain at the flats throughout Wednesday, so residents could report any damage and the wider impact of the fire could be assessed.

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