58 minutes ago
1
Robin and Loxie Williams have lived at the four-bedroom house, on Ounty John Lane, in Stourbridge, for 26 years.
They had been out with friends last Thursday but when they returned home their road had been shut by firefighters.
Now, their remaining posessions include a teacup, some paperwork and a few items of burnt clothing left from a pile of ironing in the kitchen.
Surveying the wreckage of their home, they told the BBC that on their return that Thursday evening they were forced to watch their neighbourhood going up in flames on TV.
"Somebody sent us a clip, which we couldn't believe," said Loxie, 78. "When you saw those flames coming out of the top you just couldn't believe it."
Nineteen properties across five streets were fully destroyed in the fires, which broke out in Stourbridge and multiple other areas across the West Midlands, on the hottest day of the year so far.
Another 18 in the town were damaged.
Loxie said virtually all their possessions have been lost and they understand it will take more than two years to rebuild their home.
"I got up early that morning because we were going out and I knew it was going to be hot," she explained.
"I did the ironing before I went and there's a mountain of [burnt] clothes."
