TWO Carrick Hill residents have had a lucky escape after their heating pump system went on fire at the rear of their homes, causing extensive damage.
Caoimhe Murray and neighbour Bridie Fullerton managed to escape unscathed from their Stanhope Street homes after the blaze on Thursday morning.
Both have been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage to their gardens, including a gazebo and fence.
Caoimhe told the North Belfast News that she has reported faults with the heating pump system to her housing provider on a number of occasions.
Frank Dempsey from Carrick Hill Residents' Association surveys the damage
"It was about 9am. Someone came running up my driveway and said there is a fire out your back," she said. "I saw all the flames and got everyone out and went next door and got Bridie out too.
"The heat pump system has been faulty for months and I have been constantly complaining about it to Choice. It was due to be replaced on Tuesday but obviously that is too little, too late now.
"My gazebo is completely destroyed. The main thing is that I am okay."
Bridie added: "I feel very lucky. If it had have been during the night, I could have been killed. We have been left without heating and hot water. Choice gave us some heaters to keep us going."
Frank Dempsey, from Carrick Hill Residents' Association, said: "There could have been a life lost. This fault with the heat pump system has been reported time and time again," he said.
"You would think a fault like this would have been classed as an emergency repair but this was allowed to drag on and on until it went on fire."
A spokesperson for Choice Housing said: “Tenant safety is the number one priority for Choice and, as such, a full investigation has been launched to establish the exact cause of the fire.
"We would like to apologise to those tenants affected by this incident and thank them for their patience and cooperation as every effort is made to restore heating and hot water to both properties as quickly as possible.”
