Furious neighbours demand council help clear up asbestos after fire

NEIGHBOURS of a house in Coventry have called on the City Council to intervene to clear up burnt remains from a garage fire.

Blackened debris, including smashed asbestos roofing, is scattered across Radford resident’s gardens over a week after a garage blaze.

The neighbours say a caravan at the rear of 353 Burnaby Road was torched on July 29, with flames soon spreading to a garage packed with possessions.

As the garage burnt, debris including pieces of asbestos sheeting fell into the neighbours’ gardens.

Firefighters were quick to the scene, preventing the fire spreading to nearby houses, but since they pulled burning items including a gas canister from the garage, the dangerous remains are strewn across the street.

One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The mess all around our street looks like asbestos from the old corrugated roof.

“The owners is not bothered, our families here have kids and there is an old couple who’ve had to pick up burnt asbestos sheet from the floor.

“It is an eyesore and now the wind is getting up, it’s blowing bits all over the place.

“The landlord has not been communicating, when I have spoke to him he says he will get someone out or pick it up himself – but you need a specialised team to pick up asbestos.

“He has said at the last minute he has no home insurance.

“When it started, the fire was very hot, orange, going into people’s gardens.

“It was a warm night, the windows were open and I have a little girl who sleeps in our back room – we can still smell it in the house.”

The residents say they have asked both the owner of 351 Burnaby Road and Coventry City Council to deal with the damage, but the council has disputed if the back street is a public highway.

The Observer contacted the landlord of 353 Burnaby Road, who declined to comment.

Coventry City Council was also contacted for an update.

A spokewoman for West Midlands Police said: “We’re investigating after a caravan outside a house in Burnaby Road, Coventry, was deliberately set alight at around 12.30am on Wednesday 29 July.

“The fire also spread to a nearby fence. No one was reported injured.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact us via Live Chat at our website or call 101 quoting crime ref 20CV/177577T/20.”

A spokesperson at Coventry City Council said: “As the remains of the burnt caravan are still  within the boundary of that property and is it privately owned a letter was sent to the tenant of that property in order for them to clear the waste.

“A large amount of waste was removed from the garage to necessitate the extinguishing of the fire.

“The tenant has received and responded to the letter and now the onus is now on them to have this waste removed.”