Lanarkshire mum 'heartbroken' after family home burns down
Jill Davies and her son Murray lost the property in Ashgill to a fire on Sunday
Last updated 23rd Apr 2021
A Lanarkshire mum is telling Clyde News her family are heartbroken and have nothing after a fire tore through their home on Sunday afternoon.
Jill Davies was in the house with her son Murray, 21, her new partner and his father when she was told by a neighbour that a blaze had started at a park next to her address in Ashgill.
The flames quickly spread through the property leaving Jill and her family watching on as it was destroyed.
The 51-year-old said: "The fire brigade took at least over 20 minutes to get there and it was almost an hour before any water was actually put on the fire.
"It went on for hours and the smoke was constant.
"You could see it across the whole village."
The family later discovered the home insurance had lapsed which means the property is not covered.
Jill added: "When I walked out the house all I had was my car keys, phone and the clothes I was wearing.
"My son had nothing other than the socks, jogging bottoms and a jumper he was wearing.
"He didn't even have shoes on his feet."
Friends and family have helped to raise over ÂŁ10,000 to help cover the costs of re-building the home.
Jill, who lost her husband Steve in 2017, is devastated that she has lost her physical memories.
She said: "It's just been horrific. I can't even put into words how I'm feeling, I'm completely lost.
"All the things that are close to my heart are not here anymore and it is not the big things.
"A lot of the time it is the small things that I am missing.
"I have found myself going to get something and then realising it is not there anymore."
Officers are still investigating the cause of the fire and believe it may have been deliberately started.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 5.10 pm on Sunday, 18 April, 2021, police were called to a report of a fire at a house in Nursery Drive, Ashgill, Larkhall.
"On arrival, the house was well ablaze.
"The fire was extinguished and there has been extensive damage to the premises.
"Four people within were not injured and did not require hospital treatment.
"The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are continuing."
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 4.02pm on Sunday, April 18, to reports of a detached bungalow on fire at Nursery Road, Ashgill, Lanarkshire.
"Operations Control mobilised four appliances to the scene and firefighters extinguished the fire.
"Two casualties were passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe."
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