'My kids are scared it will happen again': Northampton family fighting against returning to home where tragic fire happened

A mum who was in her family home with her four children when it was badly damaged by fire, is fighting against being housed back in the same home.

Sara Richardson was getting her children ready for school at the property in Blackthorn on September 15 when a fire broke out.

Luckily the whole family escaped unharmed, but fire badly damaged the upstairs of the home and made inhabitable.

The 30-year-old mum is unsure what caused flames to erupt, but knows it started in her bedroom where her youngest son, who has learning difficulties, was located at the time.

Sara, her partner and their four children - aged nine, eight, six and three - were placed in temporary accommodation after spending two nights in a hotel.

The family is still in the Briar Hill accommodation more than a month after the fire, as Northampton Partnership Homes works to repair the damage, which is aimed to be completed in December.

However, Sara does not want to be placed back in the Blackthorn house as she believes it will be too traumatic for her and her son, who are both still having nightmares about the fire.

Sara said: “The whole of the upstairs was a write-off, but the living room and kitchen were salvageable.

“I have really bad anxiety and my health, mentally and physically, has gone downhill because of this.

“I keep having breakdowns. I’m crying a lot, my anxiety gets high and I have a lot of stress at the moment all because of going back there.

“I have been placed on more medication because of how it has affected me.

“The kids are all really unsettled and don’t want to go back, as well.

“At night, they are scared it is going to happen again and my little one is having bad nightmares too.

“We just want to be offered alternative accommodation, so we don’t have to go back to where this all happened.”

The mum has letters from her doctor and her son’s, which she has presented to the housing company, advising that neither would be able to cope with moving back to where the tragic event happened.

Northampton Partnership Homes said staff were reviewing the medical evidence, but the company cannot ‘assure’ the family that alternative accommodation will be available.

Mike Kay, chief executive at Northampton Partnership Homes said: “After the recent fire at Miss Richardson’s home, the family were moved into temporary accommodation so that they were safe, and we could carry out essential repair and reinstatement works to repair the damage to the property.

“We are working hard to make sure the family can return to their home as soon as possible, and we aim to have the work completed in December so the family can move back in for Christmas.

“We are sorry to hear that Miss Richardson is anxious about returning to her family home and we completely understand that this is a difficult time for the family.

“We are currently reviewing Miss Richardson’s housing options along with the medical evidence she has provided, and will be in touch with her once this process has been completed to discuss how we can help.

“Due to the current huge demand for social housing, we are unable to assure Miss Richardson that she will imminently receive an offer of alternative accommodation.”

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