A HOUSING association has reached out to one of its Rhyl tenants whose belongings were left badly smoke-damaged after a fire started in another flat at the same building she lives in.

Olivia Demilow, 23, had to evacuate her Seabank Road home late on May 12 with her eight-month-old son, Sebastian, and her partner after a “gust of smoke just hit her".

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service ruled the fire as "accidental”, adding that it was caused by “cooking left unattended”.

Olivia, a tenant of ClywdAlyn, set up an online donations page to try to replace a number of her son’s belongings, which she said, “just stink of smoke really badly”.

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The mum has lived at the Seabank Road flat since 2017, and desperately wants ClwydAlyn to relocate her to an alternative property where she will feel "safer".

She said: “The smoke does seem to have cleared, so we should be able to go back to the flat, but I just don’t feel safe.

“My baby has breathing issues - what if it happens while we’re fast asleep, or what if 999 aren’t called as quickly as they were last night?

“I’ve been in touch with ClwydAlyn to ask if they can try and maybe move us to emergency accommodation, but they said they can’t because we can go back in; it’s only if our flat has gone up in flames as well.

“Emergency accommodation is meant for things like this, though. They’ve said they can’t do anything, which is just beyond me, to be honest.

“The main thing that I am after is somewhere that’s safe to live, but I don’t feel like I’ve been safeguarded.

“I feel like they’ve turned a blind eye to it all. I would like them to move me somewhere safer. You shouldn’t feel unsafe in your own home.”

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Fire crews, paramedics and police officers are all believed to have attended the incident on May 12, with one person taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan.

ClwydAlyn thanked the fire service for its efforts, and reassured its Seabank Road tenants that the property is safe to live in.

It has offered a "decoration voucher” to Olivia to help her redevelop her home but is unable to grant her request to move. 

A spokesperson for ClwydAlyn said: “We’d like to thank North Wales Fire and Rescue Service who were called to reports of a cooking fire at Seabank Road on Friday evening (May 12).

“The incident was confined to the kitchen area only of Flat One, and was dealt with quickly.

“ClwydAlyn officers have carried out an inspection of the flat and communal areas as well as the neighbouring properties. There is no damage, and residents can safely stay in their homes.

“We know how worrying incidents like this are and we’d like to reassure residents that their safety is our first priority.

“The property meets the current fire detection requirements and has both heat and smoke detectors fitted in each flat and throughout the building which has recently been fitted with new fire doors.

“We understand that the smoke was mainly contained within the flat, and once the smoke entered the hallway, the full system activated and alerted people to exit the building as it should.

“Our housing team have been in touch to check in with Olivia, and we’ve offered her a decoration voucher so she can spruce up her home due to the inconvenience she's experienced.

“Unfortunately, we are not able to offer Olivia a move to a new home.”

Readers wishing to donate to Olivia's fundraiser can visit www.gofundme.com/f/p2hecn-house-fire.

Following the fire, Rhyl fundraising group Belief reached out and gave Olivia £250, on behalf of the charity, to help replace smoke-damaged items.