BLAZE TERROR
Eight people trapped inside burning block Neighbour and builders hailed as heroes Fire chief says smoke alarm saved lives
Eight people are lucky to be alive after being trapped in a burning block of flats for 30 minutes.
Residents – including a child and an elderly woman – were stuck in their homes as a blaze ripped through a third-floor flat while the occupants slept. The fire quickly spread to another flat above.
The alarm was raised by brave neighbour Lyndsey McCartney who ran into the block with a taxi driver and builders working nearby.
Lyndsey, right, said: “We started chapping on doors to get people out and the workmen kicked the flat door in that was on fire.”
Firefighters had to make a daring ladder rescue to save a couple.
Traumatised residents had a lucky escape on Monday morning after being trapped in a burning building for 30 minutes.
A blaze had ripped through a third-floor flat at Mowbray in Calderwood while residents were asleep in their beds.
Eight terrified occupants found themselves trapped in their homes while the fire took hold and spread to the property above.
Two front windows blew out as flames engulfed the building.
A passer-by alerted the fire service to the scene at around 9.15am and a team of six firefighters tackled the inferno for half an hour before making a daring ladder rescue to save a couple trapped inside the fireravaged flat.
Four pet dogs were also rescued from the burning building.
Shaken dad-of-two Neil Callaghan, 41, was trapped inside his top floor flat while the fire took hold.
He said: “I’d just woken up and heard a lot of banging. I got to my front door and there was smoke. I knew I was trapped. I opened my windows, put a scarf over my face and kept dabbing my eyes with water.
“My neighbour was still sleeping and smoke was going through his door. I have two kids – an eight and a fouryear-old – but luckily one was at school and the other was at my mums so I’m just glad they were out the house.
“I’m just back from the hospital. My eyes are nipping and I’ve got a bit of a cough but otherwise I’m OK.
“The front of my flat’s all scorched but those flats are a write off.
“It was horrible, the smoke was thick and black, I’ve never seen anything like it. Everyone is pretty shaken up. I’m just trying to stay strong for my wife, I’ll have a wee weep later.
“I can always get another flat...if it’d been my wife and kids...that’s my worry... if it had happened during the night.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue have confirmed the fire, which originated in a living room, was accidental.
East Kilbride fire chief Eddie Kelly told the News at the scene: “Passers-by alerted the fire service to the scene and it took our firefighters around 30 minutes to put out the fire.
“We used six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus to carry out fire fighting initially and then to search and rescue residents from the other flats.
“The whole block of flats was evacuated. Initially we made four rescues using ladders but we had eight casualties suffering from slight smoke inhalation.
“The close was really heavy with smoke so we left people in the flats because they were safe at that point and brought them down as and when we could.
“The whole living room is completely gutted, the close is quite badly smoke logged and there is extensive heat damage.
“We’re happy to confirm that the cause was accidental and originated in the sitting area.
“People were shaken up and most are now staying with friends and neighbours.”
Three ambulances arrived at the scene and paramedics gave precautionary check-ups to eight residents including the 47-year-old female and 36-year-old male occupant of the burnt-out flat.