Kind-hearted neighbours have rallied round to help a caravan owner after his home was destroyed in a fire.
A boiler inside a static caravan at Harwood Bar Holiday Park, where the man had lived for around 20 years, caught fire and destroyed all his belongings.
Members of the holiday park’s Neighbourhood Watch Team held a collection last weekend and have so far raised around £500 with more donations still coming in.
Margaret Hunter, who has lived at the site for 19 years, said the man, who wished to remain anonymous, was taking a bath when he smelt burning.
She added: “He thought it was coming from outside and got out and put a bath towel on him and then realised it was his boiler that was on fire.
“He ran out of the caravan and and turned the gas bottle off but the fire spread.”
The incident happened at around 1pm on Monday, May 4 and firefighters from Blackburn and Burnley were called to the park on Mill Lane.
The cause of the fire was accidental and was not started deliberately or being treated as suspicious.
Margaret said he is now staying with his brother, who also lives in another caravan on the site, and they have raised money to help him get back on his feet.
She said: “We had a collection on Friday and Saturday last weekend to help him. Some people were coming out with money in their hand before we even got there.
“That is what they are like on here. It is a community and everyone sticks up for one another. Everybody looks after everybody.”
Kath Monk, who also lives on the park, said: “He stood there as he watched the caravan go up in flames. He was inhaling smoke.
“He’s lost his home, lost all his clothes, everything, personal effects, his memories. We want to do everything we can to help him.”
Julia Hayden, who lives next door to the fire victim, said: “He’s the nicest neighbour you could have. He is more distraught about my van being damaged than what was happening to him, which says a lot about him.”
Firefighters who attended the blaze on May 4 said the crews used breathing apparatus, hose reels, cutting equipment and thermal imaging cameras to put out the fire. They also had to ‘cool down’ gas cylinders located nearby.
