Aberdeen family homeless after fire
Six left homeless after devastating blaze
Published:
THIS is all that remains of an Aberdeen family’s home after a raging inferno ripped through the building.
A dad, son and their four lodgers have all been left homeless following the devastating blaze in Aberdeen’s Garthdee which also destroyed two caravans and a car.
They now face the heartbreaking task of trying to salvage what’s left of their belongings from the burned out shell of the property.
The blaze started in one of the caravans parked in the back garden of John Johnstone’s home in Ivanhoe Road.
The flames spread to a second caravan before engulfing Mr Johnstone’s home and a Reliant Rialto car which was also parked in the garden.
The75-year-old was rescued by firefighters from the burning building and taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary along with son, Tony, and lodger, Musa Abolade.
The trio were treated for smoke inhalation and later discharged.
Tony 47, who is currently unemployed, woke to see the towering flames in the garden just before12pm. He said: “ I looked out of my bedroom window on the first floor and all I could see was flames shooting up past my window.
“My first thought was for my dad so I went across to his bedroom and woke him. The fire brigade arrived really quickly and carried him out the front door.
“I put a wet towel over my head and went out through the conservatory at the back. I did fear for my life a bit.”
But lodger, Musa, 49, was trapped in the first-floor bedroom at the back of the property.
Tony said: “I shouted to him to jump from the window, but I pulled a mattress underneath it first. He got out okay.”
Next door neighbour, George Duffus, 74, was also led to safety from his house by firefighters, but his home was untouched by the flames.
Luckily Mr Johnstone’s three lodgers – Bob Robinson,49, John Paul Scott, 41, and Tinotenda Kanyowa – were all away from the property when the blaze broke out.
A police spokeswoman said: “Inquiries are ongoing but the fire is not being treated as suspicious.”
