Amesbury fire: Residents set up crowdfunding pages

The fire happened in the flats close to the One Stop shop in Sandell Place during the evening of Friday, June 9. 

The first crowdfunder on GoFundMe was set up by an Amesbury resident who lost his home due to the fire.

On the funding page, he said: “We have lost everything we own and only have the clothes on our backs. We don’t have house insurance as it's one of those things that you don’t think will ever happen to you.

"Any help, big or small will be forever grateful. Thank you so much."

It has already raised nearly £2,000. 

Read more: Fire breaks out in Amesbury flats

The exact cause of the fire is not known but a message on Facebook by the Mayor of Amesbury stated that no one was injured in the fire.

Additional crowdfunding pages have also been set up.

Cheryl Bryant said: "On Thursday the 13th of April at 8.30. I got a call at work to say my house was on fire. I rushed home to see our street filled with fire engines. All I could think about was my animals."

Her two cats made it outside unharmed but the fire service managed to get her tortoise out and gave him oxygen.

Like the other residents of the flats, Cheryl and her husband have lost many of their possessions and are now in a hotel although the cats have had to remain in the garden as they were not allowed in the hotel.

Cheryl is looking to raise sufficient funds to have her cats put into a cattery so she knows they will be safe.  

On the crowdfunding page, Cheryl said: "We will be homeless and in a hotel for at least 8 weeks while they try to make our home safe to live in but they made us aware that this time frame could change. I'm not sure what else to say apart from thank you for reading."

£545 has been raised. 

Jordan Evans has raised a crowdfunding page for all residents affected by the fire. 

He said: "On the 9th June 2023, a fire destroyed 5 flats and these people have lost everything. Any help for these families is appreciated, We need to come together as a community to support the people in need.

"All proceeds will be given to the appropriate people to give to the families effected, our hearts go out to these people."

£55 has been raised currently. 

Amesbury Councillor Mark Verbinnen said: "A number of flats were damaged and residents were evacuated. About five or six flats were damaged but I don't know the exact number." 

"I don't know the cause yet."

The aftermath of the fire in Amesbury last night (Image: Salisbury Fire Station)

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service: "We received a call at 7.09pm yesterday evening about a domestic property fire on Sandell Place, Amesbury.

"Crews from Amesbury, Salisbury, Warminster (x2), Tisbury and Mere along with neighbouring crews from Andover, Winchester, and aerial ladder platform from Basingstoke, attended the incident involving a three-storey building, which was well alight on arrival. 20 breathing apparatus wearers used the aerial ladder platform, hose reel jets and ladders to extinguish the fire.”

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