Scots girl, 6, saves parents as blaze tears through family home before Christmas

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A brave Scots youngster saved her parents lives, allowing them to flee their house after it became engulfed in flames. Courageous Laila, six, alerted her parents Kat McFadyen, 34, and Ryan, 35, from Penicuik as the terrifying blaze tore through their home on December 9.

The family escaped with their lives, but sadly their cats were killed in the blaze. The family have also lost all their Christmas presents, just weeks before the big day and face spending the festive season in temporary accommodation.

Devastated mum Kat told Edinburgh Live: "I was upstairs, just about to put Laila in the shower and get her ready for bed while on the phone to a colleague and all of a sudden I hear her shouting 'fire' and 'evacuate'.

"I ran downstairs and she kept shouting in the hall. I opened the living room door and there were actual flames coming from the bottom of the recliner chair. My partner came running out of the kitchen and had water but we didn't know if it was an electrical fire.

"We all got out and went and I knocked on the neighbours' doors as we're in a terrace and the fire was already spreading so fast. I work in pubs and kitchen and have seen fires but nothing like that.

"We just had boxes of Christmas presents delivered ready to be wrapped that night and I had stuff from my grandmother's house in the living room so we had a lot of fuel for the fire. I wanted to get the neighbours out and while I was doing that Ryan ran back in to get the dog."

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Ryan managed to get out the back door with the dog and climbed over the fence on to the main street. Unfortunately, the family also had several cats who sadly did not make it.

She continued: "Luckily they got out and scrambled over the fence. I think the firefighters arrived in just over ten minutes which was rapid but it had spread so much. All the floors were already on fire.

"From what the fire service has said and with our description it suggests it could have been the recliner that caused it as there is a hole in the floor where it was. There's nothing left in the living room at all, it's down to the brick which is quite scary."

As firefighters tackled the blaze one of Kat's neighbours opened their home for emergency services and looked after their dog. Ryan's family from Penicuik then came and picked up the family and they stayed with them overnight.

Kat added: "We're not in temporary council accommodation in Larbert as it was the closest place so we just need to figure out our next move. Laila obviously does fire drills at school and she has probably seen me deliver a few seminars from home but she is handling it super well and she is super resilient.

"She alerted us and it was at least one minute before the smoke alarms went off which is phenomenal. She is a little bundle of energy but doesn't know what to do with it right now. The fire brigade say it won't be in a liveable state for at least 12 months so to be honest we're looking to get another property. Pre-Christmas that may be difficult so we may have to go down south and stay with my family for a while."

As the family were private tenants they are now looking for a new home but priceless items from Kat's grandmother's home were all lost in the blaze.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 6.36pm on Monday, 9 December, to reports of a dwelling fire on Deanpark Avenue, Balerno.

“Operations Control mobilised six fire appliances to the scene. Three casualties including one child were taken into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service and one of the casualties was then transported to hospital. Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was safe.”

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