Mum and son, 9, face being homeless at Christmas after blaze destroys house

A family have 'lost everything' and could be homeless over Christmas after their tumble dryer went up in flames and destroyed their home.

Disabled Lisa Camilleri and her nine-year-old son Alfie were force to flee in their nightclothes after the blaze engulfed their flat in Shenley, Hertfordshire.

Lisa is now living in temporary accommodation that doesn't even have carpets and faces a 'bleak' Christmas alone as Alfie has had to go and stay with her sister.

Recalling the fateful day, Lisa said she was waiting for the Hoover condenser dryer to finish its cycle last month when she heard a 'loud bang' and her electricity tripped.

As she stumbled around her kitchen looking for a torch, the 51-year-old sensed 'glowing' flames behind her, before watching in horror as they erupted from behind the appliance.

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Lisa panicked and quickly called the emergency services, before running out into the street wearing just her pyjamas and slippers.

By the time the fire service arrived 10 minutes later, Lisa's flat had been engulfed in flames.

The mum is now warning others to check their home insurance – as because she failed to keep her list of contents updated, she is only getting £5,000 of the £12,500 she desperately needs.

Lisa, from said: "It's very traumatic. Everything has been damaged – most of my flat.

"I've had to get something to help me to sleep because I'm suffering with PTSD. I smell fire and burning everywhere I go. I wake up at night and I hear that bang.

"I've lost everything, but I just thank the lord I managed to get out. Luckily Alfie wasn't there. Christmas this year is looking bleak."

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Lisa had owned the dryer for three years and had never had any issues with it until she says it set on fire in early November.

She said: "When I first walked [into the kitchen], I didn't even look at the dryer but I could feel something glowing behind me.

"Then I turned around and all I could see were orange flames coming from the back of it.  

"I just stood there looking at it. Panic set in and there was smoke, then the windows blew out. 

"I managed to get out of the house. I struggled to get the door open, luckily I did, then I called the fire brigade.

"They managed to put out the fire but it had already taken hold of the flat.

"I'd forgotten to update it when I bought new stuff.

"I have to save my leather sofa and chairs from the smoke damage, my bed, that's got smoke all over it. And Alfie's stuff too."

Lisa has now been out of her home for more than a month and is living separately from Alfie, who is being assessed for autism, to save him from the trauma, as he struggles to adapt to changes due to his condition.

Although her housing association have given her a temporary flat, she claims they refuse to carpet it – leaving her to walk on bare floorboards.

"The only door that was closed was my little boy Alfie's bedroom. That's not too bad – it's salvageable.

"I've got to salvage as much as I can because I'd under-insured myself.

Lisa said: "They've found me a temporary house which I'm starting to move into now, but they won't let me stay here [for the future].

"That's the worst thing about it – I cannot go back to my flat, it's too traumatising.

"They won't carpet the new place or anything like that. 

"They said it's not in their policy. 

"Alfie's diagnosed with severe anxiety and is waiting to be assessed for autism. He's got a two-year learning delay.

"He won't step foot in this new [temporary accommodation] place until it's absolutely spotless, because any sign of dirt and he goes crazy.

"All his stuff that I can save needs to be put in place for him.

"It's just so hard.

I'm trying to do my best by mopping the floorboards and he's staying with my daughter at the moment.

"I'm expecting to stay here for months, depending on the work needed. There's so much work to be done [on my flat].

"Luckily, I have a supportive family who have been doing as much as they can."

Lisa claims she reported the fire to Hoover and was told she needed to go through her insurance.

However, after moving house years earlier, she had taken out home insurance but forgotten to update it as she bought new things for the flat.

Because she was under-insured, Lisa will receive just 42% of what is needed to replace her damaged belongings.

The stay-at-home mum and Alfie face a long journey ahead as they try to find £7,000 to repair their flat.

Lisa said: "The insurance are paying less for my contents because I was under-insured.

"I just hope people read this and remember to keep their contents insurance updated. So many people forget – exactly like I did." 

Hoover claimed they could find no record of Lisa's call to them and said they were informed of the incident by the retailer.

A spokesperson for Hoover said: "The retailer informed us of the incident on November 11 and, as per our protocols, contacted the customer to organise inspection of the appliance.

"We were told that the product had already been taken away on November 8 so unfortunately we have been unable to undertake our own investigation.

"Whilst we sympathise with Ms Camilleri's situation, we are unable to shed any further light on this particular incident as we have been unable to inspect the appliance ourselves.

"We would of course like to once the customer's insurance company has been in touch and the product is made available to us.

"We would however like to take the opportunity to reiterate that all Hoover appliances conform to all required EU quality and safety requirements and we can confirm that there have been no safety notices on this product."

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