15 rescued from Muirton flats fire

Feb 23 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A THREE-WEEK-OLD baby girl was among 15 people rescued from smoke-filled flats in Perth.

The blaze broke out in a bedroom of a ground floor property in Gowans Terrace, causing thick smoke in the common stairwell which trapped residents in their homes.

An off-duty firefighter who happened to be passing the property helped three people escape before the fire brigade arrived.

The prompt action by neighbours of the Muirton property and the emergency services prevented the incident becoming a tragedy.

After being rescued from their smoke-filled flats, seven people, including the baby, were taken to Perth Royal Infirmary as a precaution but nobody was found to be injured.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at 12.50am on Saturday. Meanwhile, police officers on patrol had used a ladder to rescue a woman and small child from a first floor flat.

Other people in the block were advised to remain in their flats until they could be safely taken out of their smoke-filled properties by firefighters.

Rab Middlemiss, Tayside Fire and Rescue incident commander, said: “If it hadn’t been for the prompt actions of the neighbours, police, fire control staff, the off-duty firefighter and fire crews who attended this incident I have no doubt that we would have had people seriously or even fatally injured at this fire.

“I can’t praise the actions of those involved highly enough.”

The fire chief added: “This should serve as a stark reminder to the public of the danger of fire within their homes and the need to have a working and regularly tested smoke alarm fitted and fire action plan so they know how to act should they discover or are trapped by a fire in their home.’’

The block of flats in Gowans Terrace is in mixed ownership, with three privately owned flats and one council tenancy.

“Damage to the council-owned flat was limited and so it has not been necessary to provide alternative accommodation,” reported a council spokesman.