Srikanth Meadavarapu, a resident of Gorleston Road in Highters Heath, Birmingham, rushed to evacuate at least four neighbours after a ferocious fire broke out near his home on Thursday, August 13. The blaze, which destroyed his summer house and ripped through six houses, occurred as the West Midlands experienced a series of wildfires, including in Stourbridge and Willenhall.
Quick Actions Save Neighbours
Meadavarapu and his wife Jyothi initially thought someone was having a barbecue, but flames quickly tore through their summer house. After fleeing with their two children, Meadavarapu attempted to fight the fire and alerted neighbours, getting them out before 999 crews arrived.
“I immediately went out and knocked on neighbour's doors,” he told BirminghamLive. “Someone might have been asleep, it was hot, I'm not sure if people had noticed it. I tried to stop the fire by removing fences and tried to stop it spreading, but it was too heavy.”
Neighbours Grateful for Warning
Thanks to his efforts, four neighbours were able to grab important items from their gardens, including bikes and gardening equipment. Jyothi said: “My husband shouted for us to get out of the house and then started alerting neighbours. It's lucky it happened in the day so fewer people were asleep.”
Meadavarapu added: “I knocked on doors and told them to check their gardens in case anything was burning already. Four neighbours met me outside, they thanked me and managed to grab important things from their gardens. Some grabbed their bikes and gardening equipment. By this time, my summer house was already burnt and I couldn't save anything myself.”
Fire Investigation Underway
The fire, which began on fields in Daisy Farm Park, devastated homes on Gorleston Road, leaving families without roofs. The cause was unknown, but fire investigators were looking into the possibility of suspected arson.
Meadavarapu, who lost possessions including his children's bikes, said: “The past few days have been painful for me. We don't have any plans to move and can only hope this doesn't happen again.”
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “We continue to work with West Midlands Fire Service colleagues as an investigation into the cause of the fire continues.”
