30 December 2023 , 19:37
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A family has been left homeless on Christmas Day after a car crashed into the front of their property and destroyed it.
Ana Diaconu, 30, and Florin Maracinenu, 34, were enjoying a relaxed start to the festive holiday before a black BMW ploughed into their spare room, leaving the side of the home collapsed and relying on what little support was left. Bricks and rubble were spotted all around the property following the crash, which occurred at 9.05am.
Amazon worker Ana has since spoken of the crash which left her without a home, saying the couple felt an "explosion" downstairs when the vehicle crashed into the side of their home on Wharf Road. The pair were immediately aware a car had smashed into the property as, Ana says, they could still hear the engine running.
Speaking to The Sun, she said: "We felt the bed shake and after we heard the noise we definitely knew that there was a car or an explosion downstairs. There was a bed there, there was a wardrobe, there were toys.
"We knew straight away that it was a car because we could hear the engine. We were in the bedroom above the room that has been destroyed. I still can't believe it. We are so lucky that no one was in the room, otherwise they would be dead." Since then, the family has evacuated.
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Nobody was hurt but "significant damage" to the property was caused which has rendered it too dangerous to live in. The electricity box, gas mains and the family's VW Golf were all damaged. She added: “We have a mortgage so it’s not going to be easy. We are still in Grays at a friends house but they have a family.
Damage to the £350,000 home left the property in a state of danger, prompting the family to move out (STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHY)"We’re gonna stay tonight and tomorrow but we need to go somewhere. The insurance company has offered us a hotel but we have two kids. They need food and clothes and toys." An 18-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of driving without a licence and no insurance, police confirmed. Despite the horror damage to the home, Ana says she feels "very lucky" that nobody was hurt.
Florin has since added neighbours are helping the family, who evacuated with their two children after smelling gas at the property. He said: "I didn’t think about him, I just thought about my family."