Squatters Smoke Themselves Out of A Home

Devonshire Road House In Flames After Electricity Mains Tapping Goes Awry

A group of squatters who occupied a Glebe Estate house have smoked themselves out of a home.

The squatters moved into 92 Devonshire Road (pictured right) back in August to the dismay of surrounding neighbours.

One resident stated at the time "The house has needed attention for sometime and now that it has new 'owners' there is no chance that the work will be done. The windows are falling out and there has been significant movement of the whole side wall. There are barricades up now but I rather doubt that will help a passer-by if the glass falls and certainly wont help if the wall tumbles."

Whilst the Chiswick forum raged with heated debate, a fire began in the house in the early hours of Sunday 9th September causing the squatter to flee from the premises.

A neighbour, who had spoken to Police, said "The squatters had been tapping in to the mains electricity to get their supply for free and this went horribly wrong and the house set alight. It went up in flames - the flames were coming out of the windows 3 or 4 feet at the height of the fire. I called the fire brigade, but it turned out the squatters had already called them before scarpering."

No one was hurt in the fire and the ground floor of the the property, which is owned by Hounslow Council, has been secured.

September 12, 2007