A couple in their 80s have thanked the local community and firefighters for ‘treating them like royalty’ while they thought their home of 61 years was burning down.
Peter and Wendy Morris, of Pennygate, could only watch last Wednesday shortly after 12pm as a fire that started in a neighbour’s shed quickly spread via connecting fences.
But firefighters were able to save their and others’ Spalding homes, although two were damaged and families have had to move out.
“I thought someone had put a light up in his shed but within seconds it was alight and all gone,” said Peter. “It spread so quickly and the flames were very high.
“There was black smoke everywhere so you could barely see.
“All of a sudden something exploded and it was time to get out as quickly as possible.
“It was frightening. We couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Peter said they presumed the house would be engulfed by the flames as they were evacuated to First Avenue.
“The people down there really looked after us,” he continued. “We were out there for a while but they sat us down, were bringing us cups of tea, offering to fix the fences for us when we could.
“We felt like royalty.
“There was a real ‘blitz spirit’.
“People say younger generations wouldn’t have coped in the blitz, but we grew up in the war and straight away they all rallied around us and helped us.
“One of our neighbours has a little girl and they’ve been collecting some toys for her.”
“The firefighters were absolutely brilliant,” continued Peter, who had been told nine properties were affected in total.
“They came from all over so quickly and the job they’ve done is fantastic.
“We’d have lost our house without them reacting so quickly.
“The whole community has been brilliant.”
The Morris’ did lose a shed full of equipment but their house remained and the cat they thought had died came back at 2am the next morning.
“We are very, very lucky.
“Of our other neighbours, one has lost a conservatory, at least one has had to move out of the home as the fire has damaged the electrics and next door has only recently moved in and spent ages putting the shed up that’s now been destroyed.”
Another resident who was evacuated spoke of ‘12 foot high’ flames that spread along fences due to a strong wind.
An area in one of the gardens has been cordoned off which firefighters told Peter was due to asbestos being discovered.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue asked Spalding residents to close their doors and windows as a result of the blaze attended by six appliances.
A spokesman for the service said the fire was caused accidently.
