Community comes together as families homeless after fire in Jaywick, Essex
The community has come together, donating clothes and household items for the affected families, as Russell Hookey reports.
Business workers rushed to rescue residents and pets as a fire swept through homes and destroyed three of them.
Several families are homeless after a fire broke out at around 11am on Thursday in Jaywick, Essex.
Witnesses said it quickly made its way along the terrace of houses on Beach Way, eventually affecting around 10 of them and endangering a nearby care home.
Tanning salon owner Aaron Taylor was among those who broke windows and rescued terrified residents and their pets.
Since the fire, he has been collecting items for those affect, and has set up a Go Fund Me page.
He said: "Everyone is feeling very upset and disheartened with what has happened. It was awful and happened very fast.
"However people are coming together. The community spirit is there. It’s vibrant and in the air. And there’s just a lot of support for those involved."
Mark Hammond who works at a Rainy Bakes Bakery in the village was one of the first at the nearby care home where 48 residents - most with dementia - were led to safety as smoke filled rooms and corridors.
He described the scene: "Thick toxic black smoke, all the alarms were going off even though the fire wasn’t in the home, obviously it set off the fire alarms.
"It was just sheer panic because the elderly with dementia didn’t know what was going on."
Managers at the home have praised staff and volunteers who helped with the evacuation.
Families who have lost their homes are now in emergency accommodation in Clacton, arranged by the council.
As donations continue to arrive, the area’s MP Nigel Farage said he hoped to visit the scene over the weekend.
Police confirmed a 45-year-old man has been arrested and questioned about the fire. He has since been bailed.
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