| Audrey Grant (46) found herself trapped on the first floor of her home in Mossgiel Place, Linlathen, shortly after midnight.
It is understood the blaze started when painting and decorating materials stored next to the fridge-freezer in her downstairs kitchen caught fire because of heat from the appliance’s motor.
Ms Grant was wakened by a smoke alarm and the smell of smoke, but unable to open any of the upstairs windows was forced to scream for help as the fire spread through the ground floor and blocked her exit.
Alerted by her cries, next-door neighbour Linda Reid and her daughter Nicole called 999 while the have-a-go-hero wrenched the bedroom window open and pulled a terrified Ms Grant to safety.
Today, as she came to terms with the devastation of the fire and her brush with death, Ms Grant praised the courageous mystery neighbour.
“I was utterly terrified — but that guy saved my life,” said Ms Grant, who was forced to borrow clothing from her neighbours after escaping in her nightwear.
“Even the firemen were asking who he was because they knew he’d saved my life. I don’t know his name and I’ve never seen him before but I know that if it wasn’t for him I would never have made it out.
“The smoke alarm went off and I went on to the landing but the smoke was too thick to go downstairs. I tried to open one of the upstairs windows but it wouldn’t budge.
“I got the bedroom window open a bit and screamed out and that’s when that guy came running up and managed to pull me out.”
The mystery hero was helped by a male neighbour of Ms Grant who also lives in Mossgiel Place and the Reid family who live next door in Pitkerro Road.
“I’m totally gutted and my stomach is still churning,” said Ms Grant whose 12-year-old daughter was staying elsewhere last night and was still to learn of the tragedy.
“I don’t know where to go or what to do, everything downstairs is totally lost and part of the floor is missing.”
Emergency services responded to the blaze at 12.15am after receiving the Reids’ 999 call.
“We awoke to the sound of Audrey banging on the window and shouting for help and phoned the fire brigade and police straight away,” said Mrs Reid.
“This guy came out of nowhere, climbed up to the veranda next to the window where she was stuck and got her out. She was very upset and shaken but luckily she wasn’t hurt.”
n A Tayside Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said the incident highlighted the importance of having a working smoke detector. |
