Bar Hill family who lost everything in house fire thank neighbours for kindness
A family who escaped a devastating house fire with only the clothes they were wearing have thanked their local community for their “overwhelming generosity”.
Mum of two, Khadijeh Zargar, who works at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, was in her living room when the fire alarm went off in her kitchen. She walked in to find the cooker and wall ablaze.
She only had seconds to grab both of her children and escape the fire before it engulfed her home. Minutes later there was an explosion that blew out the windows.
Ms Zargar says; “We had to escape so quickly, we didn’t even have time to put our shoes on. I just called the children from upstairs and we ran. I was in my pyjamas and we literally took nothing from the house, not even my phone or cash cards. I rushed to my neighbour’s house and shouted for her to call the emergency services. They came within ten minutes but it felt like 100 years as I stood there watching my house burn to the ground.”
Her children Jasmine, 11, and Benjamin, 12, lost all of their clothes and toys, meanwhile Khadijeh had only moved in two years ago and was still paying off the furniture she had bought from Argos. Now everything has gone and all she is left with is debts.
However, she has not despaired thanks to the “incredible kindness” of her neighbours and even local strangers who came forward to help.
She said: “As the fire engulfed all I've ever known and owned, I watched on in complete helplessness, desperation and despair, wondering what was going to become of us.
“None of my family members - my parents and siblings - live in this country. But I never once felt alone during what was the most devastating night of my life, because of the help I was given by my community. I'm eternally grateful to each and every one of you who helped me.
“My neighbour Antonia welcomed my children and I into her home, took me to Tescos and bought me some clothes and essentials, and took me to a hotel and then brought me a phone, as I wasn't even able to retrieve mine. She did all of this without the slightest expectation of anything in return, and I’m forever indebted to her.
“But there were so many more who helped in their own special way, and I don't know whether I'd ever be able to repay the kindness and care everyone has shown me since the worst night of my life. But saying thank you to you all is a good start.
I also want to thank Louise Pegg for calling the emergency services and being helpful since I've moved to Bar Hill; Kristy for bringing clothes, foods and essentials to the hotel; Kevin Potts and his wife for helping me sort things out and finding my way to get out of this big shock; Jayne from Tescos for bringing me the £200 gift card and offering continuous help; Colette for setting up a JustGiving fundraising page and raising so much money on my behalf; Cllr Bunty Waters for calling and comforting me with such kind words; Peter and Emily at the Bar Hill Hotel for their kindness and support; Anthony Browne MP for his kind and thoughtful message; the firefighters for their courage and trying so hard to salvage what they could; and to all my other neighbours and kind strangers whose names I never got a chance to know.
“It just goes to show you really never know what is round the corner. In my shocked state at the thought of having to start over again from scratch, I can't find the right words that would describe how overwhelmingly grateful I am, but each and every one of your words and kind acts will forever be imprinted on my heart.”
The hardest part of dealing with the fire, after the shock of losing everything they owned, was knowing their most personal possessions had gone forever.
Khadijeh said: “My son asked me if his teddy had made it out of the fire and I had to tell him it was gone but I would buy him another one. Both of my children have just cried and cried over their losses. I’m so sad that all their baby pictures have gone and also my personal diary which has been a comfort to me in the last two years.”
The fire started at the property in Pheasant Rise shortly after 8.15pm on Thursday, December 2. Fire crews found a kitchen fire which had spread throughout the ground and first floor of the two-storey semi-detached house. The cause of the fire was a ring on the cooker hob being accidentally switched up which set fire to a rice cooker before the blaze spread to other areas of the house.
A Just Giving page has been set up for the family.