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Camden New Journal - by ROISIN GADELRAB and CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 24 May 2007

Firefighters tackle the blaze at Cumbria House hostel in King's Cross

NEW HOSTEL HIT BY BLAZE

Residents flee from massive fire three days after launch

A state-of-the-art homeless hostel was in flames this morning (Thursday) – just three days after it was officially opened with a grand tour and a visit from government civil servants.
Debris fell from the burning roof of Cambria House in Hunter Street, King’s Cross, through the night as more than 40 firefighters fought desperately to control the ferocious blaze.
Tenants, many of them among the borough’s most needy residents, rushed out of the building in panic, some without shoes.
The fire began at around 10pm and ripped through the top floors of the building – dubbed Camden’s best hostel at its official unveiling on Monday evening. Hours later, the blaze was contained, but still alight.
Fire chiefs said that nobody was seriously injured but dozens of flats were clearly wrecked.
Hostel manager Major Malcolm Walters vowed that the building would re-open but admitted it would be a huge blow for tenants.
He said: “I’m in emergency mode. Everybody has been evacuated. We are trained to do this, the adrenaline is pumping.
We will rebuild and open again.”
New residents moved in on Monday after a £5 million scheme to refurbish the five-storey block. They arrived with more or less nowhere else to go and hoping to rebuild their lives after falling on hard times. Some were in tears as they looked up at the crackling flames on the upper floors.
Tenant Jason Doyle said: “All my stuff is in there. I’ve only been there for three days. I’m a bit shocked. It’s very unexpected.” Cameron Alastar Buchanan, 55, shoeless at the scene, said: “I need to get my medication and my coat. They will probably have to close it down. It’s gone through the whole roof. People aren’t going to be able to go back. It’s a disaster.”
Another evacuee Marc Gallarotti said: “I’m on anti-depressants already. All my clothes, my mobile phone, bank cards, are up there.”
It is believed that the fire began in the kitchen on the top floor and spread through the corridors and rooms.
Some tenants said that the spread of the notice may have gone unnoticed on other floors because residents were engrossed in last night’s (Wednesday’s) Champions League final involving Liverpool.
Onlookers said they thought the rescue attempt was hampered because of a lack of water – possibly because the supply had been turned off.
Daniel Rossi, who lives in a neighbouring block, said: “It seems the main problem was getting water. All we could see was firemen running around saying: Where are the hydrants? That’s the scandal of the whole thing.”
He added that water pipes in the street had been recently dug up.
The hostel is run by the Salvation Army but funded through the government and the Town hall as part of Camden’s flagship Pathways homeless project. It was opened with a fanfare at a press launch on Monday attended by Lib Dem housing chief Councillor Chris Naylor and government homeless strategist Terrie Alafat. Cambria House has 48 rooms and is the first of three hostels in the borough to be refurbished. It is regarded as a leading facility because of its in-house help designed to help tenants back on their feet.

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