Horror as fire from artificial grass tears through couple’s home | UK | News
Flames engulf the back of the couple’s home in Arnold, Nottinghamshire (Image: SWNS)
A couple have spoken of their horror after part of their home was destroyed in a devastating fire spread by artificial grass. fire. Shaun Whyatt and partner Jenn Barnet face a £15,000 repairs bill after embers from a firebox ignited their fake ones grass.
Flames engulfed the back of their home in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, after Shaun burned letters in the backyard in the early hours of May 7. The security guard had poured water over the fire box, believing it had extinguished the flames. But embers from small holes in the firebox ignited £1,000 worth of plastic grass.
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The neighbor managed to wake up the couple who escaped with their cat (Image: SWNS)
The flames spread to their home, and the couple became aware of the fire when a neighbor banged on their door in the early hours of the morning. Luckily, the couple managed to escape with their two cats.
Shaun, 57, said: “When I came downstairs I saw black smoke and flames all over the wall. We couldn’t believe it. If it wasn’t for our neighbours, we wouldn’t be here now. I’d never met him before. I fell to my knees and cried.”
He said the grass next door was slightly burned and he believed it was because it was real and probably helped the grass die down.
Shaun added: “But ours completely melted. It wasn’t cheap, it was top quality artificial turf. It melted the back windows which we couldn’t believe. And left our entire back rooms black.”
He said: “Ironically the actual bin that helps with this isn’t even charred.”
Shaun and Jenn say they now regret buying the fake grass (Image: SWNS)
The fence, decking, shed, its appliances and all of the back windows of the house were damaged. Jenn and Shaun say they are now living off microwave meals as they raise funds to pay for repairs.
The couple was not covered because Jenn changed her bank account and thought she had mistakenly updated her insurance company. This caused two payments to be missed, causing the policy to be canceled at the time of the fire.
Shaun said: “Jenn’s father passed away eighteen months ago, which was a huge burden for her. We were so lucky to have our neighbor around. It renewed my faith in humanity; we never met them but they saved our lives.”
Jenn, 53, a trained nurse, said she spent £1,000 installing artificial grass 10 years ago but now regrets it. He said: “I absolutely regret buying this. I will never go near fake grass again in my life.”
“We thought it looked nice and it was easy. We chose it because I have arthritis and I can’t use the lawnmower. Now that’s changed. I’m going to have to endure the pain and use the lawnmower because there’s no way we’re going to go through this again.”
A Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Firefighters from Arnold, Carlton and Stockhill fire stations responded to the blaze following a call to Cornell Drive in Arnold at 3.08am on Thursday, May 7.
“The fire started in the garden and spread to the house. Fire crews used breathing apparatus and hose reels to extinguish the fire.”
