At 18:02 hours on Friday the 13th of March the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Fire Control in Johnstone received a 999 call informing them of a house fire within the Larchfield area of Dumfries. As a result of the call, three fire appliances were sent to the scene from Dumfries Community Fire Station.
The first fire appliance arrived within minutes and the attending fire crews were informed that the occupant was still within the house. The Incident Commander immediately committed Firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus sets, into the property to rescue the person and fight the fire.
Sadly, one elderly male was pronounced dead at the scene.
In addition to extinguishing the fire, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service personnel worked alongside colleagues from Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service to provide support and reassurance to nearby residents.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, however the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public of their free home fire safety visit service. These visits can be arranged by contacting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Freephone number: 0800 0731 999, or by visiting the website at www.firescotland.gov.uk
