Neighbours' sympathy for householders stricken by Christmas Eve fire (From Haringey Independent)

South Tottenham household returned to find home ablaze on Christmas Eve

3:24pm Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in News By Bruce Thain

Neighbours of a house which was partially destroyed in a fire on Christmas Eve say they are shocked.

Firefighters were called to Craven Park Road in Tottenham just after 11:45pm on Christmas Eve, where neighbours of one house reported black smoke coming into their homes.

Those living in the house returned late on Christmas Eve to find crews tackling the blaze.

Most of the downstairs of the terrace house was destroyed in the blaze with more than three quarters of the first floor also badly damaged.

Neighbour Brigid Feeney said: “It was quite a shock. We had smoke coming into our house and we called the fire brigade straight away.

“The people who live in the house were out at the time celebrating I think so didn’t know anything about it.

“It’s just horrible for all of them to come back from the pub and find your house is on fire and you might have lost everything.”

Several houses were evacuated and the street was blocked off.

Police and the fire brigade are still working to establish the cause of the fire.

Mrs Feeney added: “They weren’t even allowed back into the house because the police closed the house to them.

“It’s such a horrible thing to happen, especially at this time of year.”

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “When we first heard about it we were shocked.

“We were told we had to leave the house because it wasn’t safe. It was very frightening.”

Since the incident the house has remained empty and mains gas and electricity to the property have been cut off.