Sheffield dad living 'on edge' as fire-damaged house cut off from electricity and targeted by looters
Rob spent 14 days sleeping on a camp bed in his burnt-out home as he waited for action to be taken
A dad whose house nearly burnt to the ground was forced to spend two weeks sleeping in the unheated property as thieves targeted damaged homes on his street.
Rob Marsden has spent the past month working tirelessly to restore his family home after a fire tore through a row of properties on Fox Hill Road, Fox Hill.
It is understood the fire started at a neighbouring property in the early hours of the morning on July 23, before spreading across the roofs in the row.
While Rob’s home wasn’t entirely destroyed due to fireproof doors, it was left without a roof and with most of the eastern wall on the first floor destroyed.
Despite the problems, he slept on a camp bed in his old living room for 14 days, keeping an eye out for thieves who attempted to burgle damaged homes, while trying to secure alternate accommodation for his family.
“To start with I had to stay here because somebody tried to burgle us on day one and two and three,” Rob said.
“They came to my back garden with torches, tried to get through the patio doors.
“They had a shock when they had this 20-stone bloke coming towards them.”
He claims that robbers gained access to neighbouring properties, and now the community is on high-alert to ensure the damaged homes remain safe.
“Everybody has been vigilant and helpful and kind - they’ve been amazing,” he added.
The fire devastated a number of homes, with one person having to climb out of their window to escape when patrolling police came knocking on doors around 4am.
“Them two police people saved everybody's life, because they were all asleep,” he added.
After meeting local councillor Yvonne Sykes, he learnt the council could assign him accommodation despite him privately owning his home - though he recalls that on the first day of the fire walking through the streets with his daughter Sofia.
“It’s terribly stressful you know, with a 10-year-old bless her,” he added.
“And I was making her feel like we were just having a joke but inside I was absolutely on edge.”
Rob is now making progress, using his skills as a builder to install new timber frames around the first floor rooms.
However, he said progress was delayed when Northern Powergrid asked for him to pay out at least £1,700 for his electricity to be reconnected.
“I was determined not to let anybody kick us in the teeth more,” Rob said.
Coun Sykes added: “I’ve been on to Northern Powergrid and I said ‘have you got no feelings or empathy for anybody?’
“This man’s been through enough, they’re lucky that they’ve escaped with their life and now you’re saying he’s got to find £1,700?”
The utilities company have now dropped the financial request, saying they will aim to send out teams in the next two weeks.
A spokesperson for Northern Powergrid said: “Once we receive an electrical safety certificate from the customer confirming the property is safe, our teams will safely reconnect the electricity supply, without charge.
“Reconnection can only take place once all relevant safety checks have been confirmed.”