A WOMAN’S newly renovated garden was left in ruins after a fire sparked by a disposable barbecue.
Jessica Popkiss, 27, had just moved into her new home when a neighbour tossed a lit barbecue over their fence, sparking a fire that quickly spread to her garden.
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Jessica’s outdoor furniture, garden lights, decorations and tableware, all recently purchased, were completely destroyed, leaving her with an estimated £1,500 in losses.
In total, the fire damaged six gardens and one home and left Jessica “traumatised” by the events.
Jessica, from Swindon, Wiltshire, said: “It was such a scary and traumatising experience.
“I was so surprised at how quickly the fire spread.
“I had only just moved my cats into the property so my first thought in all the panic was grabbing them and getting out.
“I wanted to go back and get some garden furniture but the firefighters said I couldn’t go in until the smoke cleared.
“Once I was able to go back in, I saw that the entire garden was wrecked.”
According to Jessica, the fire broke out after a neighbour, whose garden backs onto Jessica’s next-door neighbour’s, used a disposable barbeque.
Government advice on BBQ safety
The UK Government have issued some guidelines for staying safe whilst using a barbecue:
- Keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
- Follow the safety instructions provided with your gas, charcoal, or disposable barbecue.
- Never use a barbecue indoors, in a tent, under an awning or in a caravan.
- Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue, but not more (normally around 5cms or 2 inches).
- Keep children, pets and garden games away from the cooking area.
- After cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before moving it.
- Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they’re hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire.
- Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.
- In the countryside or public park areas, only use disposable barbecues where there are specially designated areas and carefully follow the safety guidance.
- Enjoy yourself, but don’t drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue.
- Never use petrol or paraffin to start or revive your barbecue; use only recognised lighters or starter fuels on cold coals.
The barbeque accidentally set alight and the neighbour panicked and threw it over the fence.
It landed in the adjacent garden, where flames quickly took hold and spread to Jessica’s property within minutes.
Jessica said: “When it started I of course had no idea what the cause was.
“I was just panicked and trying to stay safe as I saw the smoke fill up the living room.
“I was lucky in the sense that I already had all the doors in my home shut, so when the smoke came in it wasn’t able to cause any damage to those rooms.
“I almost couldn’t believe it when someone told me it was a disposable BBQ.
“I had no idea they could do so much damage.”
Jessica’s garden furniture, decorations, decking and fence were all damaged by the fire.
While her landlord is expected to cover the cost of repairs to the decking and fencing, Jessica will have to replace all the garden furniture herself.
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Jessica said: “I’m grateful for the fact no one was hurt and no further damage was done but it’s still a frustrating loss.
“I had got this garden furniture especially for this new property as a treat for myself.
“It was an expensive brand and I was all set to get it insured as part of my home contents insurance.
“I will be footing the bill for any furniture replacements but frankly this pales in comparison to the emotional repercussions of the fire.”
The emotional impact for Jessica has been significant and she is now finding it difficult to be comfortable in her new home.
She said: “Due to my previous experiences being out of housing, I get really anxious about losing homes.
“This whole experience has been very difficult for me because of that.
“I have reached out and talked to my GP because of what I’m going through mentally.
“Every time I close my eyes I see the fire and every time I hear sirens I worry that they’re coming for my house.
“It’s felt like a big setback, not just financially but emotionally.”
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