Blaze destroys Cricklewood care home

9:30am Monday 6th October 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Elderly and infirm residents were forced to flee their Cricklewood sheltered housing early yesterday morning when a fire engulfed the building.

Fire crews were called out at 3.16am to reports of a "smell of smoke" at Garth House, in Granville Road, and arrived to find parts of the roof ablaze.

It took 100 firefighters more than four hours to put out the fire, which destroyed the whole of the roof and most of the first floor.

About 30 residents were evacuated to a nearby church and then to the Rosa Freedman Centre, in Claremont Way.

Nobody was injured in the fire, but one witness, a 25-year-old who lives in Nant Road, said a “big worry” was the effect the fire might have on the pensioners.

“The fire was really big,” he said. “The whole street was full of smoke and you couldn’t see where you were going. Lots of residents woke up from the smoke coming through their windows.

“Once the blaze took to the building the wind kept stirring it up and it was really hard to get it under control.

“Lots of elderly people were taken out and many couldn’t walk and needed help. Many of them probably don’t have much in their lives except the possessions they had in those flats. All their memories, everything they have, will all be gone. That’s a big worry.”

Anthony Dawodu, who lives in a neighbouring apartment block in Granville Road, was woken in the night by the smoke.

He said: “There was smoke everywhere, it was all you could see. It was pretty ghastly.

“Even now the car and flat are still smelling of smoke. But the fire brigade did a really good job. It was amazing no one was hurt.”

Barnet councillors Monroe Palmer and Jack Cohen visited the scene of devastation early Sunday morning.

Mr Palmer said he was concerned about the future of the building.

"It was a really bad night on the Granville Estate, but amazingly no one was injured or died,” he said. “Even a hamster was the last one evacuated from the debris.

"The roof appeared to have completely collapsed and the sheltered housing was not inhabitable. I don’t see it ever being made safe.

"This is a disaster for the residents. Many were without proper clothing and personal belongings and will now have to be temporarily rehoused until a more permanent solution is achieved."

Garth House is run by Barnet Homes on behalf of Barnet Council and consists of self contained bedsits and flats with an on-site warden during the day.

An emergency number has been set up for concerned relatives to ring on 0800 3895225.

The cause of the fire is unknown.