A MUM-of-three who lost everything in a horrific house fire is finally looking ahead to "rebuilding her life" after being given a permanent new home.
Opia Hamadi, 32, and her three children, Hendrix, Ostara-Lilly and Opal-Elowen, were left living out of bags in the wake of a house fire in June 30 which the family escaped just moments before flames took over home.
The devastating fire left the family in temporary accommodation in Southend throughout July and August, before they were moved into a new home near Priory Park.
Initially Southend Council told Opia she would be able to move back into her former home, in Eastern Avenue, in January but she was told on Sunday the temporary home she is currently living in will be hers permanently.
Following the stress and struggle of the past three months, Opia is relieved to have somewhere to rebuild her families’ lives.
She said: “I’m happy we have a new place to call home again, we haven’t had one since June and it is lovely to feel secure.
“I now have the energy to make new grounds for my family and I know that I won’t have to rebuild again in a place that almost killed us, I need a home and somewhere grounded.
“It has taken all my energy to scrub everything clean that we have recovered every day since, I haven’t moved from the kitchen and I am still trying to salvage our things.”
The fire on June 30 started in the kitchen, with flames pouring from the oven and totally destroying the room, with Opia noting that almost all of her families’ possessions had been damaged or destroyed by smoke.
Opia added: “My children are happily going back to school and are having a normal routine, and it is for the sake my kids that I didn’t want to throw them back into the carnage of moving back in January.
“The news is a breath of fresh air, I thought ‘oh my god I can rebuild’.”
Following the fire, Opia was devastated by the prospect of returning to her old home.
She said: “I can’t go back in those walls and start back again from what I lost, to have to go over our memories that have been incinerated, I cannot do it.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel