Electrical Fire Destroys Cherished Workshop as Disabled Portsmouth Woman Faces Another Heartbreaking Blow

Electrical Fire Destroys Cherished Workshop as Disabled Portsmouth Woman Faces Another Heartbreaking Blow

Fundraiser launched to help Teresa Newstead rebuild after losing loved ones, mobility equipment and treasured memories

A Portsmouth woman who has endured an unimaginable year of loss is now appealing for help after an electrical fire destroyed a garden workshop containing precious memories of her late partner.

Firefighters were called to Strode Road, Tipner, shortly before 7.30pm on Saturday evening after a shed became engulfed in flames. Crews from Cosham and Southsea attended the incident and successfully prevented the blaze from spreading further after it ignited a neighbouring fence and tree.

The fire service has since deemed the cause of the blaze to be electrical.

While no one was injured, the aftermath has left a devastating impact on Teresa Newstead, a disabled resident who says the fire has destroyed far more than a garden building.

New photographs from the scene show the shed reduced to a burnt-out shell, with the structure completely gutted and its contents destroyed.

For Teresa, the loss is particularly painful as the workshop belonged to her late partner, Simon, who passed away earlier this year after contracting E. coli whilst being treated in hospital for a gallbladder infection.

The shed served as Simon’s “man cave” – a place where he spent countless hours creating, building and working on projects he was passionate about. Inside were tools, equipment, personal creations and irreplaceable memories accumulated over many years.

The fire also destroyed a specially-built access walkway that Simon had lovingly constructed to help Teresa safely navigate her garden despite her disabilities and mobility difficulties.

Most devastatingly, Teresa’s wheelchair was also lost in the blaze, significantly impacting her independence and day-to-day life.

The fire comes at the end of what Teresa describes as the most difficult year of her life.

In January, she lost her father to cancer. While still grieving that loss, her partner Simon passed away following complications after contracting E. coli in hospital. Just months later, in April, Teresa suffered yet another family tragedy when one of her siblings also died.

Then, on Simon’s birthday, disaster struck again when the electrical fire tore through the garden workshop that held so many memories of the life they had built together.

Speaking about the fundraiser, supporters say the aim is to help Teresa rebuild after a year marked by grief, loss and tragedy.

Funds raised will help replace her wheelchair and mobility equipment, rebuild the accessible walkway Simon created for her, repair fire damage and restore parts of the garden destroyed by the blaze.

A fundraising page has now been launched to support Teresa as she begins the long process of rebuilding both her property and her independence.

Those wishing to support Teresa or make a donation can do so via the fundraiser:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-teresa-recover-after-fire-and-heartbreak

Supporters say that even small donations will help Teresa regain some of the independence she has lost and demonstrate that her community stands beside her during one of the most challenging periods of her life.

Anyone unable to donate is encouraged to share the fundraiser to help reach a wider audience.

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Posted: 2026-06-09T10:57:38+0000