Occupants of a flat destroyed by fire owe their lives to a working smoke alarm, firefighters say.
A blaze ripped through the ground floor flat on Wilson Street, Blairhall, on Wednesday morning.
One man was checked over by paramedics at the scene but did not require hospital treatment and no one else was hurt.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service station manager Mark Bryce said the blaze was so fierce it was lucky no one was killed.
He said: “This was a very severe fire and the fact the home had working smoke detection has probably saved lives.
“Our firefighters got to the scene within minutes but they were confronted with an already intense fire.
“The fire caused extensive damage to the property and the occupants were lucky it didn’t end in tragedy.”
He said the incident served as a reminder that working smoke alarms save lives and urged people to request free home fire safety visits from the service.
Residents in the block of four flats on Wilson Street had evacuated the building before crews from Dunfermline and Alloa arrived, shortly before 9.30am.
An investigation has also been launched into a major fire at a Kirkcaldy scrapyard which police are treating as suspicious.
Flames ripped through J Noble and Son auto salvage yard in Smeaton Industrial Estate on Tuesday night.
Firefighters tackled the blaze into the early hours of yesterday, remaining at the scene until shortly after 8.30am.
Police Scotland, which is carrying out a joint investigation with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, has appealed for witnesses and is carrying out extra patrols of the area around Denburn Road.
Detective Inspector Colin Robson said: “This was a large-scale fire that has caused substantial damage.
“Thankfully, no one has been injured as a result of the incident.
“We are appealing to the public for any information regarding this incident.
“We are particularly keen to trace any vehicles which they may have seen in the area around the time of the fire.”
A spokesman for J Noble & Sons said the firm was unable to comment.
Picture by David Wardle