Mum refused to leave her soulmate in burning home
Tragic Gail dies in fire thinking hubby was still inside too
BY RAJA SHARMA reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk A GRIEVING Scot has revealed her mother died in a house fire because she refused to leave her “soulmate” whom she believed was trapped inside. Melissa Shaw described the tragic incident last Friday night which resulted in the death of her mother Gail Lamb as a “tragic love story”.
Gail, 55, stayed in her burning house in Saline, Fife, because she thought husband Derek was still inside.
But Derek, 62, had already escaped the inferno through the back of the house – unbeknown to his wife.
Neighbours tried to save Gail by climbing up a ladder to the top floor of their two-story house but she refused to leave, saying: “Where is Derek?”
Melissa, 35, said: “It’s like a tragic love story.
“My mum and Derek were just made for each other and idolised each other.”
Neighbour Shelley White said: “I saw the fire and ran outside but by this time my neighbours had already rung the emergency services.
“You could feel the heat from the house and the smoke was immense.
“Our neighbour, Sid, grabbed Gail’s hand from the top of the ladders and told her to get out but all she said was: ‘Where is Derek?’
“She went back into the house looking for him but Sid managed to grab her hand for a second time and he was just screaming at her to get out but she wouldn’t leave Derek.
“There was nothing we could do, the fire was too bad.”
Derek and Gail had been together for nearly 30 years before a horrific fire broke out at their home on Friday night.
The blaze is believed to have started in an electrical appliance in the kitchen downstairs.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family and £3900 has been raised.