20 hours ago
Children in 'total shock' after being evacuated from Glasgow home amid blaze
A family with young children was left in 'total shock' after being evacuated from their Glasgow home amid a raging inferno.
Firefighter William McColl, who is based at Castlemilk Community Fire Station, recently responded to a blaze at a block of flats in the area.
The incident initially involved a pile of rubbish being set alight; however, it became more serious after the fire spread to an adjacent property, causing 11 people to be evacuated from their homes.
Following the horror inferno, the Watch Commander has warned deliberate fire-setters that their actions can have 'dire consequences'.
READ MORE: Man's body found in wooded area of busy park
READ MORE: Man dies several days after incident in busy area
William said: "This type of incident highlights the dangers posed by deliberate fire setting.
'On arrival, the outside of the building quickly became involved in fire, causing smoke to fill the whole close.
"We had to evacuate 11 people, including a family with young children who were in total shock.
"The fire also left one resident without a home for the night.
"I don't think people understand the impact of their actions - that is someone's home. Thankfully, there were no casualties on this occasion, but the consequences are still massive for everyone.
"People need to understand that once they have lit that match, they can have no control over what happens."
READ MORE: Police race to busy Glasgow street amid 'incident' at premises
The SFRS responded to more than 30 deliberate fires every day last summer. Crews responded to 3195 deliberate fires during just a three-month period.
William and his crewmates regularly engage with the local community on the dangers of fire-setting.
He believes education to be one of the key ways to prevent deliberate fires.
William said: "We always work with our communities to make them aware of the dangers and consequences of deliberate fire-setting.
"Things can go wrong very quickly, and people can be seriously injured. This can then lead to criminal convictions."
