Andrew Reynolds has spent the night in Gorleston Road, Highters Heath, after watching his mum's home burn down on Thursday, August 13. The fire started in Daisy Farm Recreation Ground and spread along fence lines before 'jumping' to gardens and houses, devastating a block of six homes.
West Midlands Fire Service was alerted to the incident at 5.20pm. Andrew's brother arrived first and managed to rescue their mum's dog, but the house soon went up in flames. Andrew said he arrived to find nothing could be done to save the house or his mum's possessions.
Fire Spread from Park to Homes
The 42-year-old said: "Unfortunately, a fire last night has started at the top of the park [Daisy Farm Recreation Ground] and spread its way down, all the fence line. It got to my mum's garden and the neighbouring garden and just jumped towards the houses. The block of six houses all went up."
Two of the six houses have been declared structurally unsafe. Andrew said: "There's nothing left in my mum's. There's nothing left in the neighbours. And all the other neighbours have lost lots as well. Mum's lost everything more or less, to be honest."
Family Loses Decades of Memories
Andrew's mum was at work during the incident. He said: "I got down here and by the time I got here nothing could be done. I watched our family home burn down. My brother got the dog out. He obviously wanted to save more things. But they told him it's not safe to go back in and he stayed out."
He described losing all family possessions, including items in the loft from his nan and grandad and photographs of yesteryear. "Everything's gone, it's all gone. My mum's lost everything. She's walking around and has just the clothes on her back. She hasn't even got contact lenses. She's staying with my brother."
Community Support and Investigation
The home had been in the family for around 30 years, since Andrew was in secondary school. It was a council home, and Andrew was unsure what help the council would provide. A GoFundMe page started by TikTokker Ringz N Tiingz has raised more than £7,500 for affected families.
Andrew said: "He's doing a fantastic job. We are not saying please give us money but people have lost everything. But I also recognise there are people in other parts of the country that have lost everything as well. The whole country just needs to come together and look after each other really. If people want to help it's going to be appreciated by all the families. My mum and her neighbours will be grateful."
An animal was found dead at the scene, though its species was not confirmed. There is speculation the fire was started deliberately, but fire investigations have not concluded. A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We are working with West Midlands Fire Service colleagues as an investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing. No one has been arrested."
