A mother has described her devastation after a fire destroyed her newly renovated kitchen from B&Q, costing around £5,000, at her home in Coventry. Billie-Jo Osborne, 25, had just finished vacuuming the kitchen on April 23 when smoke and flames began emerging from behind a worktop at approximately 3.05pm.
She quickly grabbed her one-year-old son, Oscar, who was playing nearby, and fled to safety. Neighbors called 999, and fire crews arrived swiftly. The kitchen, which was not insured, was completely gutted, and the living room and bathroom also suffered extensive damage. The blaze destroyed all appliances, newly fitted cabinets, fridge, and carpets.
Photos reveal the extensive damage inside the property, where Billie-Jo lives with her partner Wayne Slade, 53, and their two children, Oscar and five-year-old Amelia. The family has since been staying at a Travelodge and at Billie-Jo's grandmother's home.
Billie-Jo said she has been experiencing flashbacks and nightmares since the incident. West Midlands Fire Service determined the fire was caused by a melted plug socket behind the worktop. She explained, 'My partner and I had just finished renovating our kitchen, which cost around £5,000 from B&Q. We had brand new surfaces, cabinets, an oven, hob, washing machine, and dishwasher, and installed everything ourselves. Everything is now destroyed—only the washing machine survived.'
'I was vacuuming while Oscar played nearby when I heard a humming sound from the vacuum. I turned it off, then heard a loud humph noise, and smoke began rising from behind a cabinet. I saw flames and ran outside, asking neighbors to call 999. I covered Oscar's face with clothes to shield him from smoke and got to safety. It was 3.05pm, so I had to pick up my daughter from school. My neighbors watched the house while I did the school run with my house on fire.'
When she returned, fire crews were everywhere. She and her son were checked over; Oscar had fluid in his ears from smoke and needed antibiotic spray. Billie-Jo also suffered nosebleeds. 'The fire service said the plug socket was faulty, not the vacuum, and it was nothing to do with the new kitchen as we didn't touch the electrics. It was just bad timing. Seeing how quickly the fire spread was horrendous. I'm getting flashbacks and nightmares. It was a very scary situation, especially with a young child.'
The family spent over a week at a Travelodge in a cramped room with little space. Billie-Jo said, 'It was a nightmare. My daughter was scared by people coming and going, thinking somebody was breaking in. Now I'm staying with my nan, but Wayne has to sleep in the car as there's no room. We desperately want to get back on our feet.'
A GoFundMe page has raised over £1,100 to help buy second-hand appliances. Bridget Guilfoyle, director of asset management at Citizen Housing, which manages the property, said: 'We are aware of the fire at one of our properties in Binley. Our immediate priority has been the safety and wellbeing of the residents. We have arranged alternative accommodation and are providing ongoing support. The cause is still under investigation, and we are working with partners and our insurer. Electrical safety checks were up to date at the time of the incident.'
