Fifers have rallied round families who lost everything in a Kirkcaldy fire just before Christmas.
Two families were left homeless, and with possessions and Christmas presents destroyed, after a blaze ripped through an unoccupied top-floor flat in the town’s Dunearn Drive on Friday night.
They spent the weekend in temporary accommodation after their flats were badly water damaged in the incident.
On hearing of their plight, local businesses stepped in to try to make Christmas a little better for them.
Sainsbury’s, Rejects and Aldi in Kirkcaldy donated food and toys to spread a bit of festive cheer.
Local MSP David Torrance contacted Sainsbury’s after reading about the blaze in The Courier on Christmas Eve. Later in the day he visited the store with Mark Provan from Fife Council’s housing service to pick up some of the donated items.
Staff and customers had also donated £330 in cash.
Mr Torrance said: ”I’m really impressed by the generosity of Sainsbury’s and its customers at this time of year.”
The families took refuge at Dunearn Primary School while the council arranged temporary accommodation.
Residents of the three-storey block in Templehall all managed to escape to safety. One man was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation but was later released.
Other householders who were unable to return home made arrangements to stay with relatives.
”It’s a relief there was no loss of life, but to lose everything at Christmas time, especially when you have children, is terrible,” said Mr Torrance. ”I want to thank all the managers of all the stores for donating so generously at this time of year.”
Sainsbury’s store manager Sam Grogan said: “Hopefully this will help make the children’s Christmas as normal as can be after what was a harrowing experience for them.”
Fife Council’s emergency planning department was called in to help residents who had been evacuated.
Emergency planning manager Dougie Potter said: “Most people were either allowed back into their houses or sorted out temporary accommodation with relatives.
“The housing department had to temporarily rehome a Portugese family and a Romanian family. We opened up Dunearn Primary School as a short-term place of safety and made arrangements to get them accommodation overnight.
“It’s desperately unlucky for them at this time of year,” he added.