Somerton Avenue fire: Neighbours devastated after £60,000 worth of damage

Around 30 firefighters rushed to Somerton Avenue, Southampton on Sunday at around 6pm after an out of control bonfire spread.

The flames quickly tore through nearby fences and sheds, ripping through the gardens of four properties.

The fire was eventually brought under control and residents were allowed back into their homes at around 9pm.

Read more - Main article continues below:

• 'Large' blaze breaks out as 30 firefighters battle out-of-control bonfire 
• Firefighters dampen down site after blaze tore through buildings 
• Out of control bonfire turns into huge blaze - the aftermath

The damage in Somerton Avenue. Picture by Hampshire Fire and Rescue service

But now they told the Daily Echo about the damage that has been caused and the huge losses they are coming to terms with.

Mark Vallis lives with his family behind the property where the fire started.

The 41-year-old IT manager said his shed was destroyed.

It was his newly-refurbished home office, and contained medical supplies for his disabled son, home videos and thousands of pounds worth of electrical goods.

Mark said: "We're gutted. It just went from a little bonfire to an inferno in seconds. The smoke was horrific.

"My wife came out with the hose and my 15-year-old rang the fire service and the police. I wasn't home at the time.

"I ended up speeding through to Southampton city centre to get here. Everyone was moved out."

Mark said he's lost around £65,000 worth of items, including the £15,000 shed and a £4,000 computer he uses for work.

He added his daughter was left "shaken" by the experience and has had to go stay with her grandad since.

But he said: "The firefighters, I take my hat off to them.

"I am extremely grateful. They have come in, they have saved the house.

"They have put their lives on the line for us. At the end of the day, it could have been a lot worse."

Mark is now worried about one of his cats that has since gone missing.

He added though that several Guinea pigs and other cats owned by the family were okay.

All nearby homes were evacuated during the fire.

Among the evacuees was Susan Nellar, 66, who lives next door to where the fire started.

She lost part of her garden to the fire, as well as fencing and a shed containing tools and gardening equipment.

She said: "We'd popped out for an hour and when we got back we weren't allowed back in.

"We couldn't park up the road.

"My garden was beautiful. It took years for me to get it how it was. I'm gutted.

"We were allowed back in at about 8.30 (on Sunday). It is just devastation."

Susan's garden before and after the blaze

Susan's friend Tony Lucas, 66, added: "We could see a roaring fire.

"At the end of the day nobody was hurt. It is just equipment and painstaking work."

The pair stayed at neighbour Sarah Mitchell's house when the fire was burning.

Sarah, 39, said: "It is just scary. I saw in in the back garden first.

"I thought it was getting dark. Our back gardens covered in ash. They came in our house just to get out of the smoke.

"It's just devastating for them really. They have lost all of their stuff.

"My garden's nothing compared to what they are going through."

Firefighters were still dampening down the site late on Sunday night and attended again on Monday to check on neighbours.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman told residents at the time to keep windows and doors shut due to the amount of smoke in the area.

Crews from Hightown, St Mary’s, Eastleigh, Botley and Portchester fire stations attended.

A fire service spokesman said: "Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus have been tackling the fire using jets and hose reels as they also worked to remove a number of cylinders from the blaze before they were made safe."

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said: “Our housing management team are supporting a resident affected by this fire and arranging for necessary repairs to be carried out.”

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