A FAMILY are celebrating after finally moving back into their home more than three weeks after a fire forced them to move. 

Mercedes Olley, a mum-of-five, has faced a whirlwind three weeks after a fuse box “exploded” outside her flat, in Rosberg Road, Canvey, filling the home with smoke. 

Due to the damage, the family was forced to temporarily relocate to a Premier Inn in Barking by Castle Point Council, 30 miles away from their home before spending six days in Southend and then moving to a hotel in Basildon.

The family finally moved back to their property on Monday and have been filled with relief.

Happy - Mercedes' daughters back in their home Happy - Mercedes' daughters, Isla Leahy, Chenice Jones, Blou Leahy, back in their home (Image: Mercedes Olley)

Mercedes, 29, said: “We have cleaned up as much as we can and I had my first proper night sleeping in my own bed, that is one good thing.

“We are home, and we are settled, we hope this keeps going.

“The kids are back to school and when we were in Southend, they were up every morning at half-five to get a taxi and go to Canvey. It has been really hectic.”

Despite being delighted to have returned to the family home, Mercedes has hit out at Castle Point Council over the extended wait which meant her children had to travel across Essex to get to school. 

Back home - Mercedes and her family Back home - Mercedes and her family (Image: Mercedes Olley)

Mercedes added: “I am grateful we are back in home and comfort, but we aren’t at the end of this, the home was back with no electrics and no heating, everything we got we had to fight for.

“The council supplied the accommodation, and we are grateful, but they didn’t start the works for two weeks, we have been out of here for weeks and we were kept out of the loop.

“I am constantly chasing for compensation.”

While the fuse box that led to the fire has been fixed and a new certificate has been issued for it, Mercedes is worried that if another fire happens, no new fire doors have been added to the block of flats and has questioned why that is not seen as an urgent problem.

She said: “They had so many different companies working on this and it was left for too long, why it is not a priority?”

Rob Lillis, councillor for health, wellbeing and housing, said: “The council continues to provide support to residents impacted by the recent electrical fault at one of its flat blocks in Rosberg Road, Canvey. 

“The council anticipates full completion of the works already identified by the utility provider, as soon as is safely possible. No further works have been identified as required at this stage.”