Family torn apart after battery fire destroys home
Simon Blanshard and daughter Katelyn said all their belongings including photographs have been destroyed
- Published
A father whose home was destroyed in a fire started by a charging e-bike battery has said he has lost “every memory he ever had”.
Simon Blanshard’s home in Doncaster was gutted when fire ripped through the property causing extensive damage on 9 July.
The family have since been given notice by their landlord due to the extensive damage.
Mr Blanshard said his partner and five children have been living apart since the blaze and said all they wanted was to be reunited in a new home.
The fire was started by a charging e-bike battery
Mr Blanshard’s stepson Cameron was in the house at the time of the blaze and alerted neighbours to the situation.
“I had a phone call from a neighbour that the house was on fire," Mr Blanshard said.
“When I saw it I just broke down, there is nothing else I could do, it had already gone.”
He added that he did not let his partner Laura Natale and the rest of children see the devastation because it would “destroy them”.
The family have been forced to live apart as the property is uninhabitable
His daughter Katelyn, 16, who was staying with her mum, said she ran to the property in Bentley when she heard about the fire.
“I just wanted my cat, I was going to go in and try and find my cat," she said.
Though the family's pets were rescued from the fire one of the cats died from smoke inhalation.
Miss Blanchard said since the fire the family had received a lot of support from neighbours and friends.
"It’s just mind blowing, I get goose bumps thinking about it," she added.
The family said they had been receiving support from friends and family
Mr Blanshard said the family have received an eviction notice from their landlord giving them two months to leave the property.
The landlord said he had no choice because of the amount of work needed to restore the property and confirmed he had given the family money towards their future.
"The one thing we are in need of right now is somewhere to live," Mr Blanshard said.
"The kindness of everyone around us has helped us get everything we need for when we find a home.”
The family's landlord has given them notice but has also offered financial help
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “A fire investigation determined that the fire was caused by lithium-ion batteries, which had become overcharged.”
They added: “Our advice with lithium-ion batteries is to always the follow the manufacturer’s instructions when charging and only charge batteries whilst you are awake and in the house.”
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