The owner of a pet crematorium watched in horror as her “retirement plan” was razed to the ground in an early morning blaze.
Pat Wilson realised her Pets at Peace business was on fire after looking out the window of her Stanley home at around 1am on Wednesday.
Fire crews rushed to the scene but were too late to save an outbuilding, garage and vehicle from the flames.
The 65-year-old, who ran the crematorium business from the garage, said: “I saw light shining through my window and looked out and the garage was alight.
“By the time the fire brigade got here it was gone.
“I don’t know what I am going to do now, it was my retirement plan.
“We have been open for two years but I had only retired from my job in July and was putting all my efforts into running the business since then.
“I am in shock, we really enjoyed the business and now it’s gone just like that.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they had attended the blaze.
He said: “Operations control received the call at 1.12am and appliances from Kingsway East in Dundee and one from Auchterarder were sent to the scene.
“On arrival crews were faced with a well-developed fire in an outbuilding which had spread to an adjacent garage.
“Firefighters in breathing apparatus used a main jet and a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze.
“They also used dry powder and CO2 extinguishers.
“A large amount of diesel was also involved in the fire which has come from a fuel tank in the area.
“Both the garage and outbuilding were completely destroyed by fire, as was a vehicle.
“The blaze was brought under control by 2.49am and the last appliance left the scene at 3.26am this morning.”
The fire is not believed to have been started deliberately and investigations into the cause are ongoing.