A FURIOUS neighbour believes a vulnerable resident was let down by his housing provider in the lead up to a fire which gutted a flat.

Fire crews were called to Stanley Wooster Way, Colchester, just before noon on Sunday after fire broke out.

Alexis Smith lives next door to the flat and said she thought the occupant - who has mental health issues - was being taken advantage of by people in the lead up to the blaze and was not being helped enough by the housing provider Nacro.

She said: “He was not getting enough support.

“Specialists would come to see him three times a week but the tenants before would have daily visits. He needed that.

“There have been people there over the last few weeks, the same group of people, and they have been kicking off, shouting, screaming and taking drugs.

“We had to call the police in the early hours of the morning the night before the fire because it was so bad.

“He clearly needs more support and they have allowed him to be taken advantage of.”

When the fire took hold, Alexis’ partner James Ferguson kicked the door of the flat down to try to rescue anyone trapped inside.

No-one was home at the time but three people had been seen leaving shortly before the blaze sparked.

The fire was inches from spreading to the guttering of Alexis’ home.

She said: “It could have been so much worse.

“No-one from Nacro has come to see if we are OK - if our kids are all right.

“It is corporate failings. They have not given him the support he has needed and it has led to this.”

Two fire crews from Colchester and another from Wivenhoe were called to the scene and stopped flames spreading next door and to other flats in the block.

No-one was hurt in the fire but the flat was completely destroyed by flames and smoke.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in half an hour and stop it spreading.

The crews then used thermal imaging cameras to ensure there were no remaining hotspots within the property.

Alexis praised them for their outstanding work.

She said: “All the emergency services were fantastic.

“They were all so co-ordinated and it was like a finely tuned military operations.

“The fire crews were here within minutes.

“Once they had dampened it down slightly from a major emergency they were out talking to everyone who had come out of their houses.

“In that situation you want as much information as possible and they did their best to give it to us.”

Police and fire officers were still on the scene yesterday as an investigation was launched into the cause of the fire.

A spokesman for Nacro said: "A fire took place at a property in Stanley Wooster Way on Sunday, which thankfully did not cause any harm to the resident or neighbours, but did cause significant damage to the property. 

"The health and safety of our service users and the local community is our first priority.

"We are currently unable to provide any further comment, as Nacro staff and the property landlord are working closely with Essex Police in order to determine the cause of the fire.”