A devastating house fire on January 13th in Quedgeley, Gloucester, has left a local couple, Matt Wood and Heidi Neale-Thomas, losing almost all of their possessions and displaced from their home. The fire began when an e-bike battery exploded inside the neighboring house on Shelduck Road, triggering a blaze that took fire crews over two hours to control.
The young occupants of the property escaped unscathed, but the house was completely destroyed on the ground floor and severely damaged upstairs. Tragically, two kittens perished in the fire. The intense smoke and flames extended to adjoining properties, including that of Matt and Heidi, who live next door.
Matt, 47, described how smoke infiltrated through vents, walls, and the loft, destroying approximately 90% of their belongings. The couple have since been forced to live in a hotel while repairs are expected to take several months.
“This fire wiped out all our memories,” said Matt, a former military serviceman with 14 years in the forces and seven years with the ambulance service. “Heidi had kept precious items from her late husband in the loft, including her daughter’s artwork. My military uniforms and medals were stored in my son’s wardrobe — we haven’t even been able to check if those survived.”
Heidi, 52, who has lived in the house for 16 years with her two daughters, expressed the emotional toll of lost memories and a cherished family home. “It’s heartbreaking. Our home has always been a place of happiness and safety for my family.”
The fire erupted while the couple were relaxing and first alerted to the danger by smoke and flustered neighbors banging on their door. Matt explained how, due to health issues including Heidi’s partial deafness and his leg injury, they narrowly escaped serious harm.
Currently residing in a Holiday Inn, the couple mark their third anniversary away from the home they had built together. Despite the support from their insurance company covering hotel costs, uncertainty remains about how soon they can return and how much of their property and home can be restored.
Matt acknowledges the ongoing emotional and financial challenges: “We didn’t cause this. We were safe at home, thinking about the future. Now, everything feels overwhelming — layered with worry and shock.”
A local restaurant manager has started a GoFundMe campaign, raising over £1,200 to assist the couple with immediate needs. Matt and Heidi remain grateful for the community’s kindness as they face a long road toward recovery.