A couple whose flat was destroyed in a fatal tenement fire in Perth said they considered "jumping out the building" to escape the blaze. Kieran Gibson and partner Ellen Fulton had not long moved in together when they lost nearly all their belongings in the blaze on the corner of Scott Street and South Street. Mr Gibson, 30, said he could hear the "sounds of the ceiling coming down" after they dialled 999 in the early hours of Saturday morning. A man died and several others, including an eight-year-old girl, were injured in the fire. Two firefighters, one of whom was struck by falling masonry, were given medical treatment. Mr Gibson said he and Ms Fulton, 31, werewoken shortly before 02:00 to the sound of their smoke alarm. The couple lived on the third floor, one below the top which has been completely destroyed. Mr Gibson said he opened the door to the tenement hallway, at which point smoke came billowing into the flat. He called the emergency services and said Ms Fulton was "screaming for help" out of the bedroom window. Fire crews arrived a short time later, but Mr Gibson admitted he was worried about being forced into a life or death choice. He said: "At one point, I was trying to work out whether it would be better to jump out the building and take our risk that way or get burned to death. "If you're with your partner, your only thing is 'how do I get this person out safely?' "The whole time all we could hear was the sound of our ceilings and our roofs caving in behind us." He added: "We just didn't want to look back. The smell was just awful and the sounds were just horrific." The couple were rescued from the flat about 25 minutes after making the initial emergency call. Mr Gibson, who had lived in the flat for years before Ms Fulton recently moved in, said they had yet to take out contents insurance on the rented property. He said the vast majority of their possessions had been lost, but they were unsure of the scale of the damage. He added they had only been able to leave with what they could gather from the bedroom and were now staying with family. About 40 other residents in the area were evacuated, with some staying at the nearby Salutation Hotel, which is being used a respite centre. Mr Gibson credited Tayside fire and rescue's blue response team for saving their lives and praised the call handler's response as "spectacular". Police Scotland are investigating the incident. Drivers and pedestrians have been urged to stay away from the area, while a temporary airspace restriction has been put in place until 13:00 on Wednesday to prevent drones from flying overhead. Crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service worked through the night into Saturday morning to extinguish the flames. They left the scene early on Sunday afternoon but a team was scheduled to carry out a reinspection at about 17:00. Both Scott Street and South Street remain closed to traffic.
'We didn't want to look back' - Couple considered jumping to escape burning flat in Perth
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Couple Escapes Fatal Tenement Fire in Perth, Losing Nearly All Belongings"
Bbc News
7.7
TruthLens AI Summary
A couple in Perth, Kieran Gibson and Ellen Fulton, experienced a terrifying ordeal when their flat was engulfed in flames during a fatal tenement fire. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning, shortly after the couple had moved in together. Mr. Gibson recounted how they were awakened by their smoke alarm and heard the unsettling sounds of their ceiling collapsing. Upon opening their door, they were met with a thick cloud of smoke, prompting Mr. Gibson to call emergency services. As they awaited rescue, Ms. Fulton desperately screamed for help from their bedroom window. The couple, trapped on the third floor, faced a harrowing decision about whether to jump from the building or risk being trapped by the fire. Fortunately, they were rescued approximately 25 minutes after their call, but the couple lost nearly all their belongings in the blaze, as they had not yet secured contents insurance for their rented flat.
The fire resulted in a tragic loss of life, with one man confirmed dead and several others, including an eight-year-old girl, suffering injuries. Firefighters responded quickly, but two were injured due to falling debris. In total, about 40 residents were evacuated from the area, with some seeking refuge at a nearby hotel designated as a respite center. Mr. Gibson praised the efforts of the Tayside fire and rescue team for their heroic actions during the crisis. Meanwhile, the police have initiated an investigation into the fire, advising the public to avoid the area, while a temporary airspace restriction was implemented to prevent drone activity above the site. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service worked diligently to extinguish the flames, conducting re-inspections to ensure safety as the aftermath of the fire continues to unfold.
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