By Dave Lord and Cheryl Wood

FIREFIGHTERS CALLED to attend a fatal road accident found it was one of their own colleagues who had been killed—on his way home from a staff Christmas night out.

A senior Fife fire service officer has praised the professionalism of the crew who had to cut all four occupants free from their car.

Retained firefighter Scott Gracie (23) died when the car left the road and overturned in the early hours of Saturday morning.

He was returning home to Newburgh from a night out in nearby Auchtermuchty with some of his fellow firefighters from Newburgh Fire Station when the tragedy occurred.

The three other occupants of the white Vauxhall Corsa were rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Stewart Darling, also a firefighter, and the driver, who police have not named, were released later in the day.

Stewart’s girl friend Claire McNicol was still being treated in hospital but her injuries were not said to be life-threatening.

No other car was involved.

It was the crew from the Newburgh station, where Scott was based, who were first on the scene at around 1.40 am.

When they arrived they recognised the car, in which Scott was the front seat passenger.

He and the three others had to be cut out of the vehicle, which had landed in a field at the side of the B936 between Auchtermuchty and Lindores.

Crew members were met by counsellors when they returned to their station after the incident. Counsellors are to be made available to them for the rest of the week and over the coming months.

Divisional Officer Mike Doherty praised the Newburgh crew and extended the sympathies of the service to Scott’s family.

He said, “Turning up to a road crash and finding out one of your own is involved is harrowing.

“I am really proud of the crew from Newburgh. They were all aware of who was in the car and they went about the job very professionally.”

He said the counselling would be provided by the fire service and Fife Council, and added, “We will be there for them all day, every day.”

The crew were sub-officer Mark Friel, his son Craig, Bill Norton, Steven Weir, Lindsay McLaren and John Morrison.

Scott was believed to have been a firefighter at Newburgh for three years.

Although he worked full-time elsewhere it was his ambition to become a full-time firefighter.

Half of the Newburgh firefighters had gone for the Christmas night out on Friday, leaving the other half, who had been due to go on their night out on Saturday, on call.

A friend had come to collect Scott, Stewart and Claire.

Scott’s girl friend Kayleigh Haig, who lives in Auchtermuchty, had gone home separately.

His family declined to speak as residents of Newburgh struggled to come to terms with the untimely death of the “bowls-mad” 23-year-old.

One neighbour described Scott as an “absolutely brilliant guy, loved by all who knew him.”

Picked to represent Scotland at under-25 level, Scott was passionate about bowling as neighbour Les Peacock (52) recalled.

Mr Peacock said, “Scott was an absolutely brilliant guy and an excellent bowler,” he said. “I used to play bowls with him during the summer months and he was exceptionally talented.

“Scott lived here all his life and I remember when he was younger he used to play football, but bowling was his passion.”

Mr Peacock said, “Scott was an absolutely brilliant guy and an excellent bowler. I used to play bowls with him during the summer months and he was exceptionally talented.

“Scott lived here all his life and I remember when he was younger he used to play football but bowling was his passion.”

Mr Peacock said Scott would be very sadly missed.

“Everybody round here knew Scott—it is hard to believe he has gone,” he said.

“He really was loved by all who knew him. He had a great attitude to life and was very laid back.”

“I am sure Scott will be sadly missed locally and probably further afield as well.

He added, “This has been a real tragedy and my heart goes out to his family.”

Police have appealed for anyone travelling on the B936 around the time of the accident to contact them.

A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal in Cupar.