Investigator reveals likely cause of tragic Shrewsbury blaze which killed beloved grandmother
The Shrewsbury fire tragedy which claimed the life of a beloved grandmother was accidental and likely caused by an electrical issue, the fire service has said.
The blaze at Perches House, Windsor Place, of Castle Street, happened in the early hours of last Tuesday (January 27) and, sadly, 81-year-old Rose Roberts was killed.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has now confirmed what its experts believe was the cause of the tragic fire.
Fire investigation officer Ross Donnelly said: "This was a difficult fire investigation to carry out due to the extensive damage to the building and the limited access.
“We are confident the fire was accidental and the most likely cause was electrical. However the exact ignition source is still under investigation.
"Our thoughts are with the woman's family and friends at this very difficult time."
The fire service urged anyone concerned about the safety of their home to carry out an Online Home Fire Safety Check to get the right advice and services for you.
The devastating fire rocked the county town, with hundreds of people paying their respects to Rose in the form of online tributes and flowers at the scene.
Her daughter, Jessica Richards, told of the “horrifying” moments she watched her childhood home go up in flames, and how her mother spent decades renovating and restoring the stunning property, which was used as Ebenezer Scrooge’s office in the famous 1984 film A Christmas Carol.
Jessica has vowed to rebuild the property, and Salopians have thrown their support behind her in droves, donating more than £24,000 to a crowdfunding campaign.
Learn more and donate here
She said: “The fire started on the ground floor, in mum’s room and travelled up through the wattle and daub walls and original oak staircase.
“Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion, but the cause is still unknown.
“We all live in a flat on the other side of the street and saw it firsthand including our eight-year-old daughter - it was horrifying not being able to do anything.”
She added: “Perches House was my mum’s home and also home to my own business Shrewsbury Arts & Crafts.
“Many visitors to Shrewsbury still recognise it as the setting for Scrooge’s office in the 1984 filming of A Christmas Carol.
“Mum spent over 40 years saving, restoring and opening this house to the public, for which she was awarded a Civic Award.
“I am asking for help to stabilise and rebuild the house she dedicated her life to, so her legacy — and an irreplaceable part of Shrewsbury’s history — is not lost forever.
"Building Control has confirmed that the house can be saved, but only with immediate and substantial intervention.
“The shop is still largely intact but smoke damaged. Already, around £100,000 is needed just to stabilise and secure the structure — and this is before any restoration work can even begin.”
She added: “Perches House was not just my mum’s home, it was her life’s work.
“Mum lived there from the age of 37 until she was 81. She spearheaded a campaign to save the building from decline and restored it with care and knowledge and her own hard labour.
“She secured its Grade II-listed status and was awarded a Civic Award for her work. Without her, this house simply would not have survived.
“To me, the house is my mum. They are completely intertwined.
“From the moment I was born, this was the house she brought me home to.
“Every room held a lifetime of memories, antiques, artworks, furniture, toys, and objects collected across the world — not just things, but the story of our lives together.
“Mum even opened the house as a toy museum and ran public tours, sharing her love of history and craftsmanship with the wider community.
“Perches House was once one of the great medieval mansions of Shrewsbury — as significant as Rowley’s House or Owen’s Mansion.
“Over centuries it was divided into parts, but Perches House remains the oldest surviving section, a vital piece of the town’s medieval fabric.”
Jessica revealed that the damage to the building is “catastrophic”, with the roof having completely burned through, the original oak staircase destroyed, the upper floors saturated with water and the ceiling at risk of collapse.
She also said that parts of the structure are unstable and have required urgent propping and weatherproofing.
“From my kitchen, I can see straight through the building to the sky,” Jessica said.
“Already, around £100,000 is needed just to stabilise and secure the structure — and this is before any restoration work can even begin.”
She added: “At the time of the fire, due to complex circumstances, the house and its contents were left without cover.
“That means there is no financial safety net for the building, for its restoration, or for the loss of my mum’s lifetime of work and my only source of income.
“The shop frontage and the private residence at 35A Castle Street are two entrances to the same historic building, and both have been severely affected.
“I have lost my beloved mum, my home, my livelihood and a building that holds centuries of Shrewsbury’s history.
“But I refuse to let this be the end of her story.
“Mum could do anything. She wasn’t a qualified architect, but she drew plans, project-managed restorations across Shrewsbury and beyond, and had an instinctive understanding of historic buildings.
“She believed in craftsmanship, in doing things properly, and in preserving the past for future generations.
“I want to rebuild Perches House as her legacy — The House That Rose Rebuilt.
“My hope is not just to restore it as a home, but eventually to reopen it to the public once more — as a place of history, art, memory and creativity.
“Perhaps an art gallery, perhaps a cultural space — but always a living tribute to the woman who saved it once already.
“This isn’t just about me, it’s about saving one of Shrewsbury’s most important historic buildings.”
Jessica said funds will go directly towards emergency structural stabilisation of the building, propping and securing the roof, temporary weatherproofing, specialist surveys and heritage inspections, like-for-like restoration work required for a Grade II-listed building and salvaging and conserving what remains of the house and its contents.
“Every pound helps keep the building standing while we await full reports and permissions,” she said.
“If you are able to donate, share, or simply help spread the word, you are helping to save not only a building — but a story, a legacy, and a piece of Shrewsbury’s soul.
“The figure we are currently seeking to raise is at present a ballpark figure. We will be updating this as we have specific information and an estimation of the amount needed to stabilise and rescue this historic building (engineers, scaffold, emergency work, planning, etc).
“We will be completely transparent in this and will update our supporters as and when information comes in.
“Let’s build this back - for Rose, for Perches House, for Shrewsbury and our historic heritage.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
