Probe into why Dewsbury house gutted by fire still stands abandoned

The house in Prospect View, off Pinfold Hill, was gutted by fire in February 2013 but has never been repaired and remains boarded up and overgrown.

Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt raised the issue at a meeting of Kirklees Council’s cabinet where he called for the council to consider going in to sort it out.

“This house has been left burned out and abandoned for the best part of 10 years now and it’s an eyesore on one of the gateways into Dewsbury,” he said.

“As you come down Huddersfield Road at Webster Hill into the town centre it’s there for everyone to see and it’s a disgusting burned out shell.”

Coun Bolt said the council had stepped in to sort out another eyesore building nearby – the former Anchor pub just across the Ring Road – and had it demolished when it became dangerous.

“No-one seems to know who owns this house and it looks to be beyond repair to me,” he added.

“The council should go in and do the necessary works and put a charge on the property, meaning that it can’t be sold until the council gets its costs back.”

The fire was reportedly started by a tealight candle on top of a stereo speaker. The blaze broke out around 5am and a man living there was lucky to escape when he woke up to find his home filled with smoke.

The man got out but by the time fire crews arrived the house was well alight and flames had burned through both sides of the pitched roof before the blaze was extinguished.

A neighbour living near the damaged property said they had complained to the council but nothing had happened.

They said they had been assured the house was structurally sound and the landlord had said he planned to repair it.

Dewsbury East Labour councillor Eric Firth, also cabinet member for town centres, pledged to look into it.

“Who actually owns this house we don’t know but perhaps we can make some enquiries about who owns it and their intent to do something with it going forward," he said.

"I will ask the question.”