A DEAF pensioner last night told how she was ‘lucky to be alive’ after an arson attack on her home.
Sheila Handy, 77, slept on as her neighbours made frantic efforts to wake her as the fire ripped into her Clayton West home.
Finally, a neighbour managed to alert Ms Handy by calling her on the phone and she was able to escape the house as choking smoke poured through every room.
Fire crews who were called to Holmfield Road at around 1.45am yesterday found the blaze had been caused by an arsonist, who set fire to two wheeled bins below the kitchen window.
Watch Commander Richard Meakin said; “She was very, very lucky.
“The only way out of that house was through the room that was on fire”.
Ms Handy, who wears a hearing aid, was in bed, little realising that concerned neighbours were desperately banging on her doors trying to wake her.
Neighbour Marjorie Swift, 83, said: “I could hear banging on my door and a man just shouted ‘Sheila’s house is on fire’.
“All I could think was, she won’t hear us because of her hearing aid but we had to try. I thought I would try her house phone, as I know she has one by her bed.
“It kept ringing out but then she answered it.
“At first she couldn’t understand, then she said, what’s all the banging, and I said ‘your house is on fire’.
Ms Handy managed to get downstairs where the fire was taking hold in the kitchen.
She said: “I got to the hall before I could see thick black smoke coming from the kitchen.
“I managed to open the front door and when I did there was a crowd of people outside in their pyjamas and two fire engines.
“I couldn’t believe it.
“I was coughing because of the smoke and they insisted I go to hospital.”
The incident has shocked the tight-knit community who have rallied round to help Ms Handy get back on her feet.
She added: “Everyone has been so lovely. I am staying with my neighbour as all the utilities have been turned off.
“We had food and flowers brought round to us from neighbours and the police, paramedics and fire service have been fantastic.
“My neighbour and friend Claire Westwood has been so helpful after the fire”.
Mr Meakin said: “Wheeled bins burn so fiercely and quickly.
“The flames spread through the window and into the house.
“Luckily the lady had shut the kitchen and living room doors before going to bed and that delayed the smoke spread.
“We would urge everyone to do the same”.
The incident comes just days after police and the West Yorkshire Fire Service warned people of the dangers of starting fires.
David Tattersfield, of the Kirklees Arson Taskforce said: “During the summer we tend to see an increase in deliberate fires.
“While fire-fighters are tackling these, they are unavailable to attend other life-threatening incidents, which means crews from further afield have to be called in.
“Fire fighters have been called to such fires on a number of occasions recently and I believe it’s only a matter of time before a member of the public or a fire fighter is seriously injured.”
Police are now appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact Det Con Ian Carruthers at Huddersfield CID via 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
