A WOMAN on the brink of being homeless lost everything in a fire in a hotel room where she had been housed.

Katrina McKenzie was one of the evacuees of the fire at Sudbury Hotel, Harrow Road, on Sunday, March 17, as reported in the Observer last week.

She said had been sitting on a bed when the fridge beside her exploded, shattering the windows and setting fire to the furniture.

Miss McKenzie said: “I was sitting down on my laptop all of a sudden there was a big explosion, glass landed everywhere. I looked around and the fridge was on fire.

“The explosion was huge. I thought I was dead.

“I have never experienced anything like it in my life. It was right in front of my face, it is lucky I am not blind, really.”

The 30-year-old, who is now living in temporary accommodation in Notting Hill, dashed out of the burning room and the door shut behind her, escaping with minor injuries.

However, she lost all her belongings in the blaze including a photo of her late grandfather.

“They said nothing was saved, everything was gone,” she said. “I got a cut on my foot and hands and my ankle, but I am alive – that’s the main thing. My stuff can be replaced.

“The problem now is that I can’t go for a job. I can’t do anything as I have no money and no passport and no clothes.”

Miss McKenzie has previously lived on the streets and said she has found it hard to be housed as she is not a priority need as defined by housing legislation.

She said: “I don’t know what will happen, I might be thrown back on to the streets as they don’t have a duty to house me.”

A Brent Council spokesman said: “We are housing Ms McKenzie under our non-priority rough sleepers scheme, through which we can give discretionary help for single homeless rough sleepers.”