Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘HORRIFIC’
WOMAN, 82, DIES IN BLAZE
AN 82-year-old woman died after a ferocious blaze ripped through her Lochee home, police have confirmed.
Emergency services were called to the fire on Stewart Street in the early hours of yesterday morning and spent the entire day at the scene.
The Tele understands that the fire had left the building structurally unsound, which impeded investigations.
However, Police Scotland confirmed last night the remains of an elderly woman had been discovered in the property.
A spokesman said: “Around 3.30am on Thursday January 7, officers in Dundee received a report of a fire at a property on Stewart Street.
“Emergency services attended and the body of an 82-year-old woman was found within.
“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course.”
Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes while firefighters fought the blaze in a semi-detached house adjacent to Coupar Angus Road.
The street was closed to all vehicles for several hours and one half of Coupar Angus Road remained closed well into the afternoon.
At the height of the blaze, flames could be seen shooting into the sky as neighbours looked on in horror.
One resident said it was “the most horrific thing” she had ever seen.
Neighbour Paula Collins, whose house looks on to the property, said she stood in her garden and watched as the incident unfolded.
She said: “It was a really fierce fire. It looked at one point that the firefighters were struggling to control the flames.
“They had a turntable ladder up to try to get to the fire which was burning out of control from the upstairs of the property.”
Paula said the building had been left gutted by the blaze.
She said: “I don’t know who lived in the house.
“It was the middle of the night and the fire looked to be affecting the upstairs where you would expect people to be sleeping.”
Another neighbour said: “The first I knew about it was when I went out early in the morning and saw all the emergency services.
“The streets and paths were all cordoned off and there were police and fire officers everywhere.
Another resident said: “We were all evacuated from our houses by police in the middle of the night.
“Many of us were gathered in a car park as we watched the firemen try to put out the flames.
“It was a very fierce fire and was very distressing to watch.
He added: “Later in the day you could see the full extent of the damage to the house. It looks to be completely burnt out.”