A Leeds man has lost everything following a tragic fire at his home.
Christopher Horncastle, 50, who was born in Beeston, came home to find his house was on fire after he had been on a night out with his friends.
The fire, at the home in Morley, ripped through the living room and kitchen and has left him homeless. But something that has left Chris truly heartbroken is the loss of his two cats, Pablo and Gianni.
Chris told LeedsLive about how devastating it was to come home and know everything was gone. Chris said: "My friends took me out for a concert to cheer me up, and when I got home the house was on fire.
"I tried several times to find the cats but couldn't, I was screaming for them but unfortunately they didn't make it out alive.
"This is the worst thing, losing my cats, they were all I had left."
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He said he ran in to rescue the cats but was beaten back by the smoke. He went in on several occassions to try and find them because that is all he cared about.
Chris, who has struggled with his mental and physical health for some time, rescued the cats from a barn last year. He named them after two former Leeds United players as a way to "keep some memories alive."
The fire happened on December 16, Chris came home to billowing black smoke and the smell of the fire, he had no idea what was happening. Chris was stopped from re-entering the house again by his neighbours after they knew he probably wouldn't make it out.
"My neighbours stopped me, they said I wouldn’t be able to get out.
“I said I wasn’t bothered, I wanted my cats, i needed my cats, at the time that is all that mattered.
“The fire and smoke had already got to them way before I got home."
The fire service told Chris that the blaze had been going on for around three to four hours and was likely caused by something electrical. The living room was destroyed, and all of the walls and floors need to be replaced but Chris said that the biggest loss was his beloved pets.
He said: "I loved them.
“They replaced something else that I wouldn’t be seeing anymore.
“There is not a day has gone by where I haven’t cried, I feel as though I have lost everything, I am not bothered about the house if I am honest, it was the cats."
With no insurance or a job, Chris has turned to friends for support. He is now living on his friend's sofa whilst he figures out what needs doing on the property.
His close friend Lana has since set up a Gofundme to try and raise money for the house. So far it has raised £225 of the £4,500 goal.
The fundraiser reads: "I am just wondering if anyone could help me out one of my close friends had a freak accident where his house set on fire on the 17th of December just before Christmas and he sadly lost both his cats.
"The full house is needing redoing I am helping as much as I can but needs help with getting these materials please anyone who has a heart help me, unfortunately, he had no insurance on the house as he is currently not working due to metal Health issues I wouldn’t do this normally but it’s a big job.
"He is always willing to help anyone in need now it’s time for us to help him."
Chris added: “It was hard already, without this on top, I have literally lost everything, I have the clothes that I have on and just bits my friends have bought me.
“I am homeless, I am sleeping on my friend’s sofa, my friends keep me going, it happens and you just have to try and carry on."
To donate to the Gofundme, visit the link here.
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