A Dundee man has spoken of the moment he saw his home going up in flames with his mother fatally trapped inside.
Derek McEwan, 59, has revisited the traumatic experience as he seeks damages from Dundee businessman Jamie Shankland over repairs to the fire-hit Lochee property in the aftermath of the blaze.
Derek says he was staying in the Edinburgh area for work when he was informed about the fire on Stewart Street in the early hours of Thursday January 7 2021.
He had lived in the home with his mother, 82-year-old Elizabeth Bennett, for the previous 15 years.
“I jumped straight in my van and headed to Dundee,” he said.
“By the time I got there both of my sisters were there, as well as a friend of the family.
“It was an absolute nightmare.
“I felt I was going to wake up.
“I couldn’t believe it.
“You are standing there watching your home burning down with your mother inside of it, unable to do anything.”
Elizabeth lived in Lochee for 52 years
Elizabeth Hossick Bennett (nee McEwan) grew up in Clepington Road before moving to Lochee, where she lived for 52 years.
Previous jobs included caring and cooking at St Anne’s Care Home on Lawside Road, and cleaning part-time in Lochee banks Royal Bank of Scotland, TSB and Clydesdale.
With her second husband, John, she ran J and B Supplies, selling children’s clothes, confectionery and other goods.
She continued in the role after they separated.
Elizabeth enjoyed playing bingo and spending time with children Derek, Angela Devine (55), Pamela Bennett McGurk (51) and grandchildren Sean, Laura, Euan and Joe.
“Mum was very pleasant and got on with loads of people,” Derek said.
“She liked pets – we had dogs and cats – and enjoyed taking the grandchildren out on day trips.
“She would take them to Broughty Ferry, Tentsmuir, Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Falls of Bruar.”
Dundee house fire came day before 83rd birthday
Elizabeth lived with osteoarthritis for the final eight years of her life.
This confined her to the house, meaning her children took turns to look after her.
While Derek, a leak detector for Scottish Water, was working in Edinburgh from Monday to Thursday she was being cared for by her daughters.
Derek stayed at a bed and breakfast in Broxburn, West Lothian on the first three nights of the week, then returned to Lochee on Thursday nights to spend the weekend with his mother.
“She struggled with mobility but she had her full faculties,” Derek said.
The fire that killed Elizabeth took place on a Thursday morning – one day before her 83rd birthday.
Derek recalled: “I would have been home just 12 hours after the house burnt down.
“The fire brigade had problems putting it out because the pipes were frozen and they couldn’t get water out.
“They had to run hoses down from Lochee High Street, outside Woolworths, and pipe the water from there.
“We were standing across the road because they had a cordon up.
“We could only stand there watching the house burning down with my mother inside.
“We were also unable to have a proper funeral because of Covid.
“There would have been hundreds there but we were restricted to 30 people.
“None of the pubs would let us have a do afterwards either.
“We weren’t able to have a wake until May or June.”
Dropped cigarette likely cause of Stewart Street blaze
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service investigated the fire.
“A carer was in at 9am on Thursday, and they said my mother complained that she felt unwell,” Derek said.
“The carer had volunteered to call 101 but my mother just said that as I would be in tomorrow I would call someone if she still didn’t feel well.
“I can only assume she took a turn for the worse later that day at 1am.
“She may have taken a bit too much morphine and lit a cigarette, fell asleep, dropped the cigarette that ignited – and that was it.”
Derek McEwan seeking damages in court
With his home seriously damaged and uninhabitable, Derek moved into his weekday accommodation in Broxburn full-time.
In April 2021, he claims he agreed a £168,000 quote with Fintry businessman Jamie Shankland to rebuild the interior and roof of the fire-damaged Lochee property.
Six months later, the job had allegedly not been completed and Derek accused Mr Shankland of failing to return to finish it off.
Derek is pursuing Mr Shankland in court for damages.
The civil case began in May 2022 and still hasn’t concluded.
The situation has left Derek in limbo.
“For two and a half years I was living in one small room with a toilet, sink and shower,” he said.
“That had a serious effect on my health.
“I was going to work, finishing work, going back and sitting in this room, watching TV.
“It became tedious and tiresome.”
Jamie Shankland court case began in May 2022
Derek has now found more suitable accommodation elsewhere.
But due to the lengthy court case, he is unlikely to return to the family home in Lochee, which remains uninhabitable.
“I won’t be returning to Dundee – not after everything that has happened,” he said.
“I was hoping to buy my sisters out and keep the family home after 42 years but there is absolutely no chance of that now.
“I couldn’t bear living in Dundee, passing the house thinking someone else was living in it. as it was our family home.
“I haven’t really had chance to grieve my mother’s death as there has been so much going on.
“The court case has been going two and a half years and it is not even finished yet.
“When it’s going to end, I don’t know.”
Mr Shankland previously told The Courier: “At this time, this case is under active legal dispute and ongoing, and we are unable to provide any comments or details regarding the proceedings.”
