The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Locals rush to help tackle chippy fire
KINCARDINE: Three treated after blaze on High Street
Horrified onlookers rushed to help when a fire broke out in a popular Fife chip shop.
A man was taken to hospital and two others were treated at the scene of the blaze at Ilario’s in Kincardine.
Those who raced to help used fire extinguishers to try to douse the flames before firefighters arrived, and shouted at those inside to get out.
The fire broke out at around 10am yesterday and the High Street fish and chip shop was well alight when crews arrived.
Nicky Erskine, who owns nearby shop Nicky’s and the Post Office, said: “The community reacted very quickly.”
A man was taken to hospital and two others treated at the scene after a fire in a Fife chip shop.
The blaze broke out in Ilario’s, Kincardine, yesterday morning.
It is understood the owner and some locals attempted to extinguish the flames before emergency services arrived just after 10am.
One casualty was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, but released shortly after.
Four fire appliances from Falkirk, Larbert and Alloa raced to the High Street premises owned by the Chicarella family after several people raised the alarm.
Nicky Erskine, who runs nearby shop Nicky’s and the local post office, said people were helping to put out the fire and shouting at those inside to get out.
She said: “The community reacted very quickly.
“There were guys with fire extinguishers and I gave them our fire extinguisher.
“The smoke was belting out, it was horrendous.
“A couple of boys were inside and then there was a chap outside the door who said he was a retired firefighter and was shouting ‘you have to get out of there’.
“The next thing the fire engines were here and the ambulance as well.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it sent four appliances to reports of a fire in commercial premises in Kincardine.
A spokesperson said: “Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used powerful water jets to extinguish the fire and then ventilated the premises.
“Three casualties were treated at the scene by paramedics as a precaution.
“One casualty was subsequently taken to hospital for further treatment.
“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We dispatched one ambulance, a manager and our special operations response team.
“The first unit arrived on scene within two minutes.
“Two patients were treated at the scene and one male patient was taken to Forth Valley Hospital.”
It is not yet clear what caused the blaze, but officials said the fire was extinguished within two hours. cpeebles@thecourier.co.uk
“The smoke was belting out, it was horrendous. NICKY ERSKINE