Family away on holiday as fire destroys home

Tuesday 13th April 2010, 2:59PM BST.

The scene this morning at the St Martin property Picture: MATTHEW HOTTON (00934425)

A FAMILY will return from an Easter holiday to find their St Martin home gutted following a ferocious fire.

The bungalow in Rue de la Maîtrerie, close to St Martin’s Arsenal, was destroyed last night by a blaze which ripped through the roof, sending smoke towering into the sky.

Officers from the States police on mobile patrol raised the alarm just after midnight after seeing smoke in the road and going to investigate.

After seeing flames at the rear of the property, they broke into and ran round the property to make sure no one was inside. Once they were satisfied that it was empty, they managed to get hold of relatives of the people who lived there and established that they were away in holiday.

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1
Disheartened

April 14, 2010 at 7:43 am

The full article mentions how the fire service had run out of water fairly early on in tackling this fire. Shudder to think the consequences of that had the property been occupied at the time.

Mr Ozouf and co – please can you stop applying budget cuts to essential services or will it take a tragedy for you to realise certain services are already underfunded as it is? (Before the usual comments about the depression and the “real world” – I do agree that if absolutely necessary other areas could be cut back on such as tax department, top heavy management structures, etc. Just don’t agree cuts should be applied where people’s lives could be affected – fire, ambulance, hospitals, schools, etc.)

My thoughts go to the family concerned and hope that they receive all the support they need over the coming months ahead.

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2
Leah Holmes

April 14, 2010 at 2:46 pm

If the family concerned get to read this then my thoughts are with you, I cannot imagine what you will be going through in the coming months, here’s hoping you get practical and emotional support.

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3
Colin

April 14, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Mr Dave said: “The rural location meant that the crews quickly ran out of water due to insufficient water supplies, and were forced to withdraw out of the building to a place of safety until the water supplies were replenished.

This property is on a main road in St Martin.

Does this mean that any property outside of St Helier is at risk because the Fire Brigade cannot access water?

Better not tell the insurance companies…!

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