An Angus family escaped injury in a ferocious fire that destroyed their house in less than an hour.
Police sirens and fire engines woke up many residents in the Montrose cul-de-sac, alerting them to the dramatic scene on their doorsteps as a mother and her children were forced into the street in their pyjamas.
Two appliances from the town and further north were called to Littlewood Gardens around 7.30am on Tuesday, following a roof fire at the detached home of Lorraine Murray and her two primary school-aged sons.
Neighbours Coral Milne and Jamie Kennedy-Pratt ran to Mrs Murray’s aid when they noticed the fire start in the roof. The couple, who run a coach hire firm, helped the family out of the house.
Ms Milne (42) told The Courier: ”We were already up by that point. I was cleaning my glasses and then when I put them on by the window I could see a little bit of brightness out of the corner of my eye and thought ‘what is that?’ When I looked at it I could tell there was a fire going on.”
Within an hour the house was well up in flames and the roof had caved in.
Ms Milne added: ”Jamie and me ran out and Jamie rapped on the windows because we didn’t know if Lorraine or the kids were up. She came down with the children in her arms to the back door. Jamie took the children from her and put them over the fence to safety.
”Lorraine then went back for the dog, which was fine. She came out with that and then went to the car because by that point the fire was only a short distance away from the drive.”
Although the house’s inhabitants escaped unharmed, the family’s leporine lodger was slightly less fortunate, as their rabbit in the back garden had to be resuscitated by vets.
Mr Kennedy-Pratt (51) said: ”We had to go out and do the school run after that. It was only then that we had time to kind of have a think about what had happened. We just hadn’t been able to think about it.”
Mrs Murray’s husband Jamie works offshore, and is understood to be anxious to return home. The family are due to go abroad for their holiday in two days’ time.
Ms Milne added: ”Lorraine went away with her mum and dad after they came round here. Our kids were entertaining her two with cartoons and they went to stay with them.
”She’s actually been back round this afternoon to say thank you, after getting some clothes from her sister-in-law.”
A decision was taken later in the afternoon to demolish the house, as the fire service felt the structure was no longer safe.
Mrs Murray is well known in the area, having completed the London Triathlon for the charities Debra and the Rhys Allan Fund.
A spokeswoman for Tayside Fire and Rescue Service said four jets were used and that the home had been ”well alight”.
A support unit and investigating firemen stayed behind late into the afternoon. The road was closed to allow emergency services access.
A Tayside Police spokeswoman confirmed no one was hurt in the incident.
There were no apparent suspicious circumstances and the fire service will conduct its own investigation.