They were only able to save a few photo albums, says the resident of the house on Boterstraat in Wouw that went up in flames on Sunday night. The fire at the trailer park broke out around midnight. “I was home at the time with my wife and a granddaughter. The smoke detector went off, but it was too late.”
“It really is misery,” sighs the resident on Monday morning. “I tried to put out the fire myself with a garden hose, but that was no use.” In front of him are a few bags with some rescued items. “A few photo albums and clothes, but other than that we have lost everything. Our clothes, all our memories…” For the time being, he and his wife will stay with their daughter.
“The fire started in the shed. There was no way to extinguish it,” he says. The fire spread from the barn to a shed and then to the man’s house. He, his wife and their granddaughter were able to get to safety in time. Their house was lost and so was the shed and the shed where a car was kept.
The man has no idea how the fire started. After an investigation, the police announced on Monday morning that there does not appear to be arson.
The father of the affected resident also lives at the trailer park. He saw the fire on camera images. “I was at a party at the time. The devastation is terrible to see, it hurts your heart. You wouldn’t wish something like that on anyone.” His own house was not damaged in the fire. “Just some soot particles. I’m cleaning them up now.”
According to the man, the compassion that the affected family receives from the other residents is heart-warming. “But that’s always the case here,” he explains. “It’s one community here.”
