A Birmingham TikToker has described how he jumped over a garden fence to help residents as flames ripped through six homes on Gorleston Road on Thursday, destroying everything inside. The blaze also demolished fences and gardens across a run of 10 properties, according to fire crews.
Firefighters Confirm Origin and Investigation
Fire commander Peter Simmons confirmed that the fire broke out at Daisy Farm Park, located at the rear of the properties, before spreading to the homes. The incident was initially treated as suspected arson, with an investigation handed to West Midlands Police.
The community has been left reeling, with one man watching helplessly as his childhood home of 30 years went up in smoke.
TikToker Recounts Rescue Efforts
The passerby, known on TikTok as Ringz N Tingz, was walking to the shops when he spotted 'unusual, thick smoke' in the air. He followed it to a small field and saw 'everything on fire', with flames spreading rapidly between a row of terraced houses.
He began livestreaming but soon realized he needed to get 'actively involved'. He told the Press Association: 'As the fire was spreading, I just ran just before the fire (reached me), jumped over this fence to go check if people's all right. I'd seen they was evacuating the building, so I left them to do it.'
He then saw someone else run into a fence and followed, encountering a man who ran back into his house because fire was on both sides. 'So me and him was in the garden,' he said. They attempted to extinguish the fire, but it was 'just too big'. 'It was too hot, so we've ended up kicking down this back gate, jumping back over the fence, and then just trying to stop the fire from spreading.'
Care Home Evacuation and Emotional Toll
He and another man sprinted to a nearby care home, also being evacuated, to search for fire extinguishers. He warned: 'If the fire would have carried on spreading, the bushes would have went up, the trees would have went up, and then eventually that care home would have went up as well.' Some elderly residents were in beds or wheelchairs, and others attached to medical equipment as they hurried out.
Reflecting on the experience, he said: 'If I'm honest, it felt overwhelming, as in it was emotional. It was just like, "Oh my God… these are people's houses." People are screaming… shouting. It was crazy. It was absolutely hectic.'
On the impact, he admitted it's 'a lot' for people to process, as they've now 'got nothing'. He added: 'One lady, bless her, the only items what she's got is the clothes what she was wearing. It's so sad.'
Fundraising and Wider Context
Ringz N Tingz defended his decision to livestream, saying he used his platform to mobilise help. In less than 24 hours, over £5,567 was raised to help those affected. Some 4,000–5,000 people tuned into the livestream, and the GoFundMe page hit £11,000 within the first 24 hours. GoFundMe estimates more than £110,000 has been raised by various fire appeals in total.
West Midlands emergency services received 'thousands' of 999 calls amid the fires, also in Stourbridge this week, with 'extensive' damage left in their wake. On Friday night, the government issued a nationwide alert warning of wildfire risk in England and Wales amid the fifth heatwave this year. Andy Burnham called Britain a 'tinderbox' and urged people to take the message 'seriously' and 'not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks'. With nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales officially in drought, army personnel were deployed to South Wales to assist civilian teams, and further fires broke out in Stoke-on-Trent.
