THE OWNER of two Angus shops destroyed by fire has said his family will work tirelessly to get them back up and running “from the ashes”.
Carnoustie businessman Bill Bowles could only look on in shock as flames gutted his launderette and greengrocer shops in the town’s High Street.
By chance, firefighters saw smoke coming from the premises as they returned from another Friday night callout good fortune that may have saved nearby residents’ lives.
Mr Bowles said he and wife Gwen are determined to turn things around within six months.
He said: “We will rise from the ashes. It won’t beat us and we’ll be back. I didn’t feel this good before but I am more optimistic today.
“The response in the town has been absolutely fantastic and people have been brilliant in their offers of help.
“The rugby team (Carnoustie Rugby Club) have offered to help me with any lifting and we’ve been inundated with offers.
“It was highly emotional for us this morning and we’re only just now looking at it practically, without bursting into tears. It’s like losing somebody.”
The fierce blaze engulfed the Perfect laundry and Carnoustie Country Larder, near the junction with Lochty Street.
The adjacent former Granite City fish shop was also affected by water and smoke damage.
Around 30 firefighters and six fire engines, including an aerial pump from Dundee, were called to tackle the blaze.
A cordon between Dalhousie Street and Carlogie Road was put in place.
The fire was contained to the single-storey shops, but firefighters believed an adjoining block of flats was in danger and people were evacuated from their homes.
Mr Bowles, an independent councillor and former Tayside Police officer, plans to reopen in the former Mel’s Pet Shop in the next fortnight, and have things back to normal within six months.
He said: “Our plan is that we will open in the old pet shop, not next week but the week after.
“I’ve been speaking to colleagues in Dundee and they’re going to allow us to use their equipment, to continue to do the dry cleaning and the laundry in the short term.
“We’re discussing how to set up the temporary premises so we could do the laundry and the fruit and veg, to provide people of Carnoustie the service they are used to.”
A fire service spokesman said hoses were halted at 12.52am on Saturday morning.
The firefighters stayed on the scene until 1.30am and returned for safety checks around 6am.
“We also had an appliance come by later on in the morning, making sure it was OK,” the spokesman said.
Mr Bowles praised the firefighters.
“The Carnoustie retained fire brigade, who saw the fire coming back from Arbroath (a chalet fire at Seaton Park estate), was amazing and within seconds I had two phone calls saying they were outside.
“Unfortunately, the building’s that old that once it went up nothing could stop it. We’re just thankful their actions limited it from spreading into residential properties.”
A joint investigation is being carried out by Tayside Police and Tayside Fire and Rescue.
riwatt@thecourier.co.ukFor a full photo gallery of Friday night’s fire click here