We’ve got nothing left after a fire destroyed our home… but we’ll bounce back and start again | The Sun
A HERO dad and son have vowed to "bounce back" after losing everything in the wildfires that ripped through their entire street.
Alfie and Tim Stock managed to save "just a few memories" from their home before it was completely destroyed in the blaze in Wennington, Essex, on Sunday.
The dad and son said their house caught alight minutes after their neighbours' garden, with the family desperately taking to the flames with a hose to salvage it.
Terrified their neighbour might still be in, Tim's son knocked down next door's door, before grabbing just "a few memories" from their own home.
Meanwhile, Tim rescued the family’s dogs and tortoise, just before before the fire tore through his house too, Metro.co.uk reports.
Speaking to the BBC, Tim said: "My son came in and said next door's garden's on fire. So we got the hosepipe, couple of watering cans.
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"But after two or three minutes it was clear it was coming towards the house."
His son Alfie, 26, told Sky News: "Within five minutes they told us our house couldn't be saved.
"So that's when we moved out, tried to grab a few bits from the shed, because obviously everything in the house was lost.
"We didn't grab much, just a few bits, a few memories."
The flames destroyed a total of 19 homes in Wennington on Tuesday as the UK recorded its hottest day in history.
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A total of 100 firefighters took to the street to fight the flames, but little could be saved.
Speaking to the BBC, Alfie said: "We've lost everything, but we've still got our lives.
"All our neighbours got out safely and that's the main thing.
"Our house was gone. Within five minutes they said it was unsalvageable. We just thought we've got to get everyone out."
He added: "The damage has gone so far, the whole street is wiped out. I can only imagine the effort that's going to take to get that back up and running."
Tim and Alfie went on to praise the spirit of their community which rallied around those in need.
And determined to stay upbeat, they vowed to rebuild their lives as best they could.
Tim said: "We'll get the site cleared and then we'll get a couple of mobile homes, put some features home and we'll bounce back."
Alfie added: "We'll start again."
The blaze was one of hundreds that erupted during the 40C weather.
Dramatic aerial shots show the village of Wennington in Greater London, which has a population of just 300, destroyed by the inferno.
A carpet of black grass that also caught fire as the flames spread can be seen lying next to the still-smouldering homes.
London Fire Brigade declared a major incident as blazes broke out across the capital in the heat.
Leicestershire and South Yorkshire were also forced to issue alerts as they were overwhelmed by fires.
And dramatic scenes from Dagenham saw homes deserted after terrified residents were forced to flee their homes as the flames engulfed them.
Some of the houses have been warped by the heat with the family homes stripped down to their foundations.
Charred furniture and belongings can also be seen spilling out of the ravaged houses.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said yesterday was the "busiest day for the fire service in London since the Second World War".
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He said 41 properties were destroyed in London and 16 firefighters were injured.
The 40.3C weather also closed schools and crippled transport networks but rain is expected today.
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