A primary school boy has been hailed a a hero after saving his family from a devastating fireball which destroyed their Inchture home.
Proud mum Claire Tulloch said she owes her life to eight-year-old Brendon after his quick thinking and calm actions averted disaster on Monday.
She said she was told by firefighters she and her three children had been just minutes from certain death when flames ripped through their dream home in the Carse of Gowrie village.
“It’s a miracle that we’re still all alive and I think it’s all down to my son,” she said.
The family Claire (26), Brendon, Shaun (6) and Katie (3) were in bed at 10pm when the blaze erupted from the washing machine in their kitchen.
Brendon, who had been watching a DVD in bed, was first to smell smoke and immediately told Claire.
She said, “I told him to go and get his brother up and get their dressing gowns on and wait at the door for mummy.
“I took two steps out my door and could see my daughter’s room was filled with smoke.
“If she hadn’t been in my room at the time she would be dead.
“Brendon took his brother’s hand and told him not to let go.
“I told them we were going out the front door and they were so good and calm.
“Because I had my youngest in my arms, Brendon had to hold his brother’s hand and guide him out.Smoke”The living room and kitchen were full of smoke and you could see the fireball in the kitchen but the hallway was okay so we managed to get outside.
“I got them out and ran towards a neighbour’s house but the ball of fire was getting bigger and bigger and then ripped through my living room and out my living room window.”
Claire had not stopped to collect anything, meaning even six-month-old family dog Geo was left behind.
She said, “One of my neighbours tried to go back in and rescue the dog but the ceiling actually collapsed on her and she had to be dragged away so the dog, unfortunately, didn’t survive.
“The whole house was in a ball of fire within 30 minutes and it took the fire brigade a long time to put it out.
“One of the firefighters told me it was the worst house fire he’s seen in 10 years.”
Claire now hopes Inchture Primary pupil Brendon, whose learning difficulties make his actions all the more remarkable, will be honoured with some sort of award.
“I was actually quite panicky but he was very, very calm and brave and all three kids were just so calm I’m so, so proud of them.
“My neighbours keep saying, ‘What about all your stuff?’ because absolutely nothing was saved but all I can focus on is the fact I’m still here and my kids are okay and the fact it was my eight-year-old son who saved me.
“Unfortunately, it hasn’t sunk in with Brendon that we’ve lost the dog he thinks it’s just run away and is absolutely devastated because they were inseparable.Nightmare”I still feel that I should be waking from a nightmare at any moment.”
Claire, who is staying with her mother, hopes to be able to find another home in Inchture.
Station manager Mark Crush, of Tayside Fire and Rescue’s McAlpine Road fire station in Dundee, attended the blaze and said the family’s escape owed a lot to having a fire plan in place.
He said, “It was a very severe fire with an awful lot of damage and it’s fair to say there was the potential for loss of life.
“The homeowner regularly checked her smoke alarms but they hadn’t operated because the smoke hadn’t actually reached them but she evacuated her family at the first sign of danger.
“She had also kept the doors closed which is the primary factor in keeping back the fire and may well have saved their lives.
“She didn’t stop to get the dog or anything it’s exactly what we suggest people do.
“They suffered an awful loss but there was no injury to them.”