A woman is collecting donations for an elderly Dundee man whose house was destroyed in a fire this week.
The pensioner had to be dragged through a smashed window to safety by members of the public, after he became trapped in his living room as flames tore through the rest of the house on Tuesday, around 6pm.
It is understood after being admitted to Ninewells Hospital that evening, the gentleman was discharged on Thursday and has been staying in a hotel since.
Pictures from the scene showed the charred remains of his possessions inside the house in Ballantrae Place.
Philip Lynch was one of the members of the public who helped the stricken pensioner, and gave a harrowing account of how close he came to death.
Claire Collins, who also lives in Ballantrae Place, helped console her neighbour on the pavement once he was pulled to safety. She has since set up a Facebook page asking for donations to help him once he is rehomed.
Mother-of-two Claire, who is a psychology and counselling student, said she held the OAP’s hand shortly after he was pulled to safety from the fire.
‘Trying to put him at ease’
She said: “I was at the scene. I was helping him with a physio called Lorna, she was on the scene driving past and stopped.
“We were both trying to put him at ease when he was on the pavement.
“This was before any of the emergency services arrived.
“He was lying on the pavement at that point, surrounded by the boys who had lifted him out through the window.
“I phoned the hospital that night to see how he was and to pass on my worry for him and gave him my number.”
Claire said the man told her he had no family in the city, which, along with the devastation to his home, made her decide to help him.
‘He phoned me to say thank you’
“Obviously he’s just lost his whole house and all his possessions so I was just really worried about him,” she said
“I spoke to him when I was holding his hand at the scene and he said he was on his own and didn’t have any family, and that’s what triggered something in me.
“I don’t have family myself, just my children, so I just couldn’t imagine someone older being so isolated and not having anyone and then this happening to them.
“He managed to phone me yesterday and say thank you. He knows about the donations for him; I’m actually on my way round today to drop stuff off to him.
“He was discharged on Thursday and was placed in a hotel. I did ask the hospital and they reassured me that was being paid for him.
‘Devastating for the whole street’
“It’s absolutely devastating for everyone, the whole street, you know?
“He seemed really calm when I spoke to him. I don’t think it’s really hit him how much the fire has devastated his whole home.
“But he does know now that he’s going to have to move and I think he’s worried about having to move outwith the Douglas area because this has been his home for more than 30 years.”
Claire said she had received donations of clothes and other essential items, but was really looking for “anything and everything” given the extent of the damage to the terraced house.
‘He needs everything and anything, really’
“I’ve managed to source some plates and things for his house,” said Claire.
“And I’ve also let him know that if there’s anything he doesn’t want or need then he can let us know and it can be donated elsewhere, it won’t just be gathering dust.
“We’ll be looking for home items. I’ve got him a kettle, but he will need a toaster, microwave, things like that. Everything and anything really.
“He said he has 10 days in the hotel and then he’ll be rehomed.
“From what he’s said he will be moved into sheltered housing, but it may be temporary housing in the meantime, while they find somewhere for him.
“He’s been really appreciative and thanked me so many times.
“Lorna, the physio I met at the scene, she was driving past and had a first aid kit so we were able to patch up his arm that he cut when he was getting pulled out of the window.
Donations from across Dundee
“Other than that he was calm. He had smoke inhalation, but that was treated by the ambulance when they arrived.
“We’ve had loads of donations so far, it’s been great. Loads of clothes. Some of them have been from my friends, but also other people on the other side of Dundee, places like Lochee, they’ve donated too.
“That’s why I created the Community Spirit page, because I think that’s what Dundee is all about really – especially if somebody has gone through absolute devastation like he has.
“Nobody wants to see someone alone or stuck, especially if he’s an older man as well.
“Hopefully by the time he’s rehomed I’ll have a car full of things and I can drop it off to him.
“He probably will get the use of them because he did say he needed some things, he’d been going into town and getting things for himself.
“I just said to him, ‘please don’t, you’ve been through enough already, you’ll be spending money when you don’t even have a home’.”
‘Inquiries continuing’
A police spokesman previously said: “Around 6.05pm on Tuesday July 27, police were called to a fire at a property in Ballantrae Place, Dundee.
“Emergency services attended and the male householder was taken to hospital for treatment. Inquiries are continuing.”
Anyone who wishes to donate can contact Claire on the Dundee Community Spirit Facebook page.
‘Give us your hand’: Moment bystanders helped pull man to safety as fire tore through Dundee house