Copyright expressandstar
Footage shows a fire at a West Midlands family home, believed to have started when a firework struck the property. Mohsen Mahmoudi, 28, returned home from a comedy show to discover his property in the Foleshill area of Coventry fully ablaze on October 18. The three-bedroom home was left completely gutted by the inferno, which is believed to have been caused by a stray Diwali firework. Fire crews rushed to the scene on Hordean Close at around 9pm but the blaze had already engulfed the majority of the property. Mohsen, who runs two bubble tea shops, has now been left to foot the bill because the house was uninsured and will cost at least £110,000 to rebuild. Mohsen, who has lived at the property with his mum, dad and younger sister for 10 years, said: "I'm still just waiting to wake up from this nightmare. We have lost everything, our entire lives were in that home and now everything is gone. “My family support me running my business and they were at one of my shops when the fire broke out. I had actually swapped shifts with my younger sister because I was going to see a Kae Kurd comedy show that night. If I hadn't done so, she would have been home at the time, so I dread to think what could have happened if she had been inside. "I had a call at around 9.30pm from a neighbour to say my house was on fire, so I rushed home and I was just shocked by what I saw. It had spread to every room - my garage, my conservatory, my greenhouse, every room upstairs, just everywhere. "The police had cordoned off the street and there were five fire engines, it was just chaos. It was devastating. All the furniture, electrical goods and clothes were destroyed along with sentimental photos which can never be replaced. "I had saved up to buy that house outright but I was inexperienced and had no mortgage companies on to me about getting insurance so it just slipped my mind. You also think it will never happen to you - but here we are and I have to rebuild from scratch now. I've had a couple of quotes and it looks like it's going to cost £110,000-£115,000. We're still in a bit of shock." Friend Monica Chumber, 28, has since set up a fundraiser to help the family rebuild their lives. She said: "It was just awful. The fire crews said it was caused by a firework - you just can't believe a firework can cause that much damage. "The house is gutted and Mo and his family are devastated. To see it gone has left a deep hole in his family’s hearts and the community they have. They have lost everything - clothes, furniture, keepsakes, and the comfort of their own home. "They are just trying to keep going and we want to help them rebuild. We believe in the power of community, in people coming together when one of us falls. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly towards clearing and repairing the fire damage, beginning the rebuilding process and replacing essential household items and clothing.” West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service statement A West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Shortly after 9.25pm on Saturday 18th October, we responded to Horndean Close, Coventry. “Initially, four fire engines and two 4x4 brigade response vehicles and a hydraulic aerial platform responded. "This was a fire that started in a garden conservatory and spread to two neighbouring properties. "Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fires. "There were no injuries or casualties. "We conducted several revisits to check for hotspots." To donate to the fundraiser for the rebuild visit the GoFundMe page here.
