Devastating Fire Destroys Four Homes in Cornwall, Leaving Families Homeless

In the early hours of Sunday, May 11, a catastrophic fire broke out on the outskirts of Launceston, Cornwall, completely destroying four neighbouring homes and leaving their residents devastated and homeless. Firefighters responded to the “major incident” just before 1:50 a.m., confronting an overwhelming scene of destruction as the blaze engulfed multiple properties.

One resident, who has lived in her home for eight years and chose to remain anonymous, shared her heartbreak and disbelief. “I was at work when I received a call from a neighbour at 2:30 a.m. telling me our houses were on fire. By then, it was too late—everything was gone,” she recounted. The fire not only consumed her home but also severely damaged the adjacent houses, one losing its entire roof.

The emotional impact is profound. “Watching our homes burn and realizing there is nothing left is something I couldn’t fully grasp until the day after. Yesterday I couldn’t cry, but today the reality has hit me hard, and I can’t stop,” she said tearfully. Despite the trauma, she expressed relief that all residents escaped unharmed.

The destruction is total. She described her property and the middle one as “completely obliterated,” while the neighboring end house had only a few items, like photographs, salvaged. “My house and another are unlivable. While I can manage, there are families here in desperate need of support.”

In response, one of the affected families has launched a crowdfunding campaign, appealing to the community for assistance. Their message underscores the severity of the loss: “We have lost everything—not even shoes to wear. Although we are safe, this tragedy has left us homeless and deeply traumatized. We are shocked but grateful that our loved ones are okay.”

The scale of the fire’s devastation has left the local community rallying to provide aid, as these four families begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives from the ashes.