The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Elderly man killed in fierce caravan blaze
ARBROATH: Firefighters and neighbours battled in vain to save the resident
An elderly man lost his life after fire tore through his caravan on the outskirts of Arbroath.
Emergency services raced to the scene at Woodley caravan park, but despite the efforts of fellow residents and firefighters to save the man, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Frantic residents spoke of desperate efforts to try to save the life of the victim.
One said: “The guys who live here were trying to get into the caravan to save him but they couldn’t.”
The police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have mounted a joint investigation.
The tragedy has led to calls for a review of site safety regulations for residential caravan parks.
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather said: “We need to establish if this was a tragic accident, and if neglect was a factor.”
Caravan regulation must be tightened in the wake of a fatal fire near Arbroath, a councillor believes.
A blaze which tore through a caravan on the outskirts of the town claimed the life of an elderly man, believed to be 81 years old, whose identity has not yet been revealed by the authorities.
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at around 9.50pm on Tuesday night and raced to Woodley Caravan Park which is popular with Eastern European workers.
Despite frantic efforts to reach the man, he could not be saved.
Arbroath West and Letham Independent councillor David Fairweather said: “First of all, my thoughts go out to the gentleman who lost his life in this tragedy.
“Angus has seen a considerable increase in residential caravans in recent years, and a previous incident in the county led to a significant tightening of rules of how these sites are managed and the standard of caravans and facilities on offer.
“We need to establish if this was a tragic accident and if neglect was a factor.
“I would like to see a greater inspection and enforcement regime that ensures these caravans are fit for purpose and habitable, especially if vulnerable people are staying in them.”
One resident, who asked not to be named, said she saw other residents at the site battling to get into the burning caravan.
She said: “The guys who live here were trying to get into it to save him but they couldn’t.
“Then the firefighters arrived. They really tried their best to save him.
“The firefighters managed to get in but it was too late.”
The woman added residents have been left “devastated” by the death.
She said: “All the people who live here are completely distraught.
“He was a hardy old man, and strong for his age. He would get the bus down to the town and go to the pub.
“Everyone around here used to help him out – even though they are seasonal workers and mainly from Eastern Europe it is like a family here.”
The badly damaged caravan remained cordoned off yesterday with police in attendance.
Gordon Pryde, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s local senior officer, said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 9.49pm on Tuesday April 10 to reports of a fire within a caravan park in Arbroath.
“Operations control mobilised three appliances to Woodley Caravan Park where firefighters extinguished the fire.
“Sadly, one individual was pronounced dead at scene.”
A joint investigation between Scottish Fire and Rescue and Police Scotland was scheduled to begin yesterday.
jimillar@thecourier.co.uk