West Fife cottage fire thought to have killed occupant

Investigations are continuing into a fire that is believed to have claimed the life of one person at a remote cottage in Fife.

The fire, near Otterstone Loch, was spotted by passers-by at 3.45am on Saturday. They immediately raised the alarm, and two crews from Dunfermline fire station were sent out.

The firefighters arrived to find Lochside Cottage engulfed in a fierce blaze, which had been burning for some time.

It took them the best part of an hour to bring the fire under control. By then, the building had been destroyed. It emerged that someone may have been inside.

However, due to the intensity of the blaze, a police spokesman said on Sunday night he could “not categorically confirm” the death.

All roads leading to the loch were sealed off as a police forensic expert carried out a detailed examination of the cottage, north-east of Dalgety Bay.

It is understood it may take some days to establish the cause of the fire.