Support and advice to be offered to residents in steel-framed homes following devastating Barnsley fires

Four properties on Woodland Drive were completely gutted in the inferno, which began after a shed caught fire in the heatwave last Tuesday (July 19).

The homes, which are set for demolition this week, were reduced to just steel frames in the fire.

A Berneslai Homes spokesperson said: “A joint investigation carried out by the fire service and police found the cause of the fire on Woodland Drive was accidental.

“The fire is believed to have started in a garden shed and was electrical in origin. Our thoughts are with all those residents affected by this devastating fire.

“The properties on Woodland Drive are of Hawthorne Leslie non-traditional construction.

“They have steel frames and are aluminium clad at first floor level. They meet all relevant building and fire safety regulations.

“There are 105 of these properties in the borough, all in the Kingstone area. Of these, 59 are council-owned and managed by Berneslai Homes, and the remainder are privately owned.

“The properties were built between 1964 and 1979 and those managed by Berneslai Homes have received major property improvements over the years, including major refurbishment during the Barnsley Homes Decency Programme in 2006/7, and the properties affected had new roofs in 2019/20.

“Berneslai Homes staff will be visiting all residents in these properties, with support from the council’s Safer Barnsley team and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, to offer support and advice relating to building safety.