Family living in Travelodge after fire destroys home

A single mother and her two children are living in a Travelodge after they “lost everything” in a fire, which broke out in a toaster.

The blaze started in Dionne's, 52, kitchen in Croydon House, Easton, Bristol, at about 15:00 BST on 28 September.

Nobody was injured, and the flames were contained to their home on the 10th floor of the 16-storey tower block.

The family now face living in the Travelodge for the next month. Dionne said: “I’m a very homely person. It just doesn’t feel right to be in such limbo."

Dionne, her son Toure, 16, and her daughter, 10, were moved to three different hotels in the area for a handful of nights before they were placed in a Travelodge in Emersons Green, which is being paid for by Bristol City Council.

“I’m not me, I’m usually quite jolly and the life and soul of the party, but I feel melancholy," Dionne said.

Her son was making toast at their two-bedroom flat on 28 September when the device starting to spark.

Dionne received a call from her son to say “the flat is burning down”, prompting her to rush home.

“The way he described it to me was that he went to make some toast but as soon as he turned it on, the toaster started to spark,” Dionne said.

“He switched it off straight away and left the room before he said he later heard a bang.

“He said he came out of his bedroom to go into the kitchen and as he got to the door, he saw flames and ran.”

Avon Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and experts concluded the cause of the blaze was "accidental".

Dionne said that initially she was "relieved" her son was "okay".

"And then I was like ‘oh my god, everything’s gone’,” Dionne said.

Bristol City Council was approached for comment.

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