Church steps in with practical and spiritual help after fire destroys flats

A charred shell is almost all that remains of the partially-collapsed development in Worcester Park, Sutton.

The London Ambulance Service said no injuries had been reported.

Richard Bee, a deacon at Worcester Park Baptist Church, told Premier some members of the church live near where the fire happened and were up since the early hours providing help.

“We’re in the process of working with the council to work out what the best response we can offer is.

“They’ve been deluged by donations from the local community and have started putting up their hands and saying, ‘please don’t bring us any more stuff until we until we know what we actually need.’ ”

Church members are helping the council sort through the donations. Some members have also offered spare rooms for those with accommodation needs.  

He said their aim to meet practical and spiritual needs in the situation.

“There is a space for bringing the hope of the gospel into it. But also, we need to be really careful that we’re not conflating two different things. There’s a very real practical need which we can meet in the immediate term. Then following that, there’s a very real spiritual need which we can meet.”

Resident Stephen Nobrega, a father of three children aged between eight months and 13 years old, told the PA News Agency he had “lost everything” after his ground-floor flat was destroyed.

He said:…