A WREXHAM man who narrowly escaped death after arsonists set fire to his flat door says he is living in terror of another attack happening.
Alan Collins has already said he was “two or three” minutes away from being killed by smoke which seeped into his flat on Pentre Gwyn, Caia Park, as he slept.
Luckily the Glyndwr University mature student was alerted by the smoke alarm in the hall and managed to call the fire brigade.
Now, one week on, Alan says he is living in fear of a second attack.
He said: “I don’t know who it was and therefore I do not know their reasons so I don’t know if it will happen again.
“People don’t seem to understand the consequences of their actions.
“I just hope that the offender is caught and severely dealt with.”
As of yesterday, nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Firefighters were called to the blaze at about 6.30am last Wednesday.
They managed to douse the flames in the hallway and knock down Alan’s door to rescue him.
North Wales Police have been working in conjunction with the fire service to investigate the blaze which they say was started deliberately.
Alan said: “The smoke in my flat was waist high.
“Another two or three minutes and I would have been a goner because it would have been level with me sleeping.”
The 38-year-old who is studying for a degree in addictive behaviour went to stay with his mum Jacqueline in Bolton for a few days following the incident.
He said: “It was only when I spoke to friends afterwards that it began to sink in how close it was.
“I have had nightmares following it and it’s disrupting quite a few things. It has made it very difficult to concentrate on my studies.
“I’m sure the stress of it will mean some sleepless nights.”
Alan said he has also realised the importance of having working smoke alarms as two in his flat has been disconnected at the time.
“I am very lucky that the hall smoke alarm was working,” he added.
“Everybody preaches about how important smoke alarms are and most people ignore it – I was one of those people.
“I’m just glad I have got two new smoke alarms.”
Paul Whybro, the fire service’s county safety manager for Wrexham, said: “The perpetrators must be made to realise the possible consequences of their actions.
“Their irresponsibility is putting the lives of local residents and firefighters at risk.”