Horror fire guts family's home

10:44am Friday 27th April 2001

A COUNCILLOR watched in horror as flames ripped through his £240,000 wooden bungalow.

Councillor Patrick McSweeney, his wife, Pamela, and sister Mary McSweeney, along with their four golden retrievers Tilly, Pipa, Barney and Tessa escaped the blaze unhurt.

But the family fear they will be unable to replace many of the treasured possessions destroyed in the house in White Horse Lane, Meopham.

Cllr McSweeney said: “So much has been lost at the moment I don't even know what has gone.

“I'm still shell-shocked and I don't know how much of what was in the house we will be able to save.

“We're just thankful nobody was hurt.”

The fire started in the roof at one end of the bungalow.

Mrs McSweeney spotted the smoke when she got up to let the dogs out into the back garden and her husband raised the alarm.

The couple rushed to get their beloved dogs out of danger and stood and watched in horror as firefighters struggled to bring the blaze under control.

It took 22 firefighters from Thameside, Strood, Dartford and Larkfield an hour to put out the flames which could be seen two miles away in Vigo.

Despite having lost two bedrooms and his entire living room, Cllr McSweeney was quick to praise the efforts of the firemen.

He said: “The fire brigade did an excellent job and I am extremely grateful to them.”

Thames-side sub-officer Phil Picton said: “We broke into the roof of the house using axes and then created a wall of water to prevent the blaze from spreading through the property.”

Officers are investigating the cause of the blaze at about 8am on April 26 but believe it was caused by an electrical fault.