Fire evacuation has been hell, says family

The family cannot stay in their home and say they have been going through hell since the fire on Friday

A family whose home has been damaged in a large fire that caused several streets to be evacuated say they have been going through hell since and want to return to the property.

Dean Rogers-Rock and his wife Michelle lived next door to a former printworks on Catherine Street, Crewe, which caught fire on Friday.

The couple and their four children are staying with relatives following the evacuations.

They have revealed, however, that despite their physical safety, they faced huge emotional distress about the state of sentimental items linked to the memory of two children whom they lost in the past.

Friends and relatives have started a fundraising campaign to support the displaced family, which Mr Rogers-Rock said was overwhelming and unexpected.

The money is to go towards replacing beds, carpets, clothes and toys.

He said he was away from his home when he got a phone call telling him about a blaze in the street, although he did not think it was directly affecting his property.

But he went to the scene where his dog was inside the property and as he spoke to firefighters about reaching the pet together, they heard a large explosion and were advised not to go inside, he said.

The dog survived the fire and was unharmed. But then his thoughts turned to other precious items inside.

"Everything was going through my head...", he explained.

"Everything that was in the house that I could end up losing - my baby stuff, my kids stuff, our stuff, babies that we've lost.

"We've've got a special corner for the [two we lost] - they were going through my head.

"All the valuable stuff that we have of [them] are in that house and I thought we're going to lose everything here."

He said when he learned the house including its roof was damaged he "broke down" as family members tried to reassure him.

Three people have been arrested over the fire.

The wall next to the building that caught fire has come down in the family's garden

Mr Rogers-Rock has since been allowed inside his home and said he could see the sentimental items were still in place and not damaged, and he was now liaising his landlord about further safety checks.

The family are staying with his mother but his children, aged between seven months and 12 years of age, are desperate to get home and have been upset, he reports.

"It's been traumatising," he said. But the reaction from neighbours and friends was "amazing".

He explained: "I did not expect this.

"I did not expect a Go Fund Me page or the community to come together to help us out.

"We're just waiting now to get back in the house.. it's just been hell."