Tenant arrested over explosion which destroyed South Norwood flats

Dean Ramsey, 51, handed himself in to police hours after fire swept through the three-storey conversion in Oliver Grove, South Norwood, on September 16.

Nineteen people were forced to flee their homes as the fire threatened to spread to neighbouring houses, with two adults and two children needing treatment for smoke inhalation.

Five families have been left homeless following the fire, and the entire 175-year-old house is being torn down over fears the crippled building could collapse on to next door properties.

Tenant Artur Filarecki, 35, managed to escape the flames with his wife and three young children.

He said: “From this moment on we don’t know what is going to happen.

“We heard a loud bang and smoke came pouring in the room.

“There was a lot of panic. All I was thinking about was getting my children out of the house. We were terrified, we heard neighbours screaming downstairs.

“We took the children from their beds and ran out to the garden.

“A lot of people were scared and screaming and the children were crying.

“It is a nightmare, we have nothing now, no clothes, no money, nothing. Everything is gone.

“We are sleeping 10 people to a room.”

Landlord of the property 64-year-old Robert Ramlakhn said: “We had four tenants living on the third floor.

“I got a call at about 1am from the police telling me there had been an explosion at the house.

“I’m not worried about the house, I’m just glad all four families got out. By the grace of God nobody was hurt.”

Mr Ramsey has been admitted to a secure psychiatric hospital for assessment under the Mental Health Act, and has been bailed by police pending further enquiries.

School relief effort

Caring classmates of four children left homeless by the fire have already raided their piggy banks to help their friends.

Word quickly spread through Heavers Farm Primary School that some of the pupils had lost everything during the blaze.

More than £1,000 has already been raised by staff and pupils at the school through a non-uniform day and donations, while pupils have been handing over much-needed warm clothes and replacement uniforms.

Cleo Douglas, admin and attendance officer at the school, said: “The kids have been absolutely brilliant, everyone’s come together really well as a community.

“Kids are coming in with their piggy banks and giving their savings to help out.

“The children also want to do a cake bake sale – they have been so fantastic, coming in with all sorts of suggestions how we can help the families.”

Magdalene Skiermanska, 28, mum of pupil Kamil Mitrenga, wanted to thank everyone at the school for their generosity.

She said: “It was a very scary experience. We had to run from our homes in the night in pyjamas. We are very grateful to the school for its support.”

Anyone who would like to donate to families involved can contact the school on 020 8653 5434.

Evacuees spent hours in police station

Devastated families left huddling in the cold outside their burning homes spent hours in Croydon police station rather than being taken to emergency accommodation.

The families would ordinarily have been taken to a specially set-up council shelter to recover from their ordeal.

But the group had to wait until 3.30am before they could leave the police station as officers investigated the possibility there had been an arson attack.

James Collins, civil contingencies manager at Croydon Council, said the police had done a very good job providing respite services the authority usually offered.

He said: “They gave them teas and coffees from their own canteen so we didn’t have to set up a centre.

“We sent a duty social worker on the morning, and started looking for temporary accommodation for people at about 3.30am.

“Some of the families have been allowed back home now but some of the nearby properties are either damaged or perilous.

“We rehoused five families, and four are still in council accommodation.”

Click here for our picture gallery from the incident