EXCLUSIVE: Family caught up in Elgin fire "thankful" to be alive

A couple who narrowly escaped a fire in their Moray home say they're "thankful" to be alive.

Raymond Miller and Karen McPhail were suddenly woken during the early hours of Tuesday morning to the sound of fire alarms in their Elgin flat.

When they opened their front door, they were met with smoke and could hear screams from fellow neighbours warning them to get out.

They then quickly woke 14-year-old Liam Miller and rushed out of the North Guildry Street building.

Within 10 to 15 minutes, the top of the building, where Raymond and Karen's home was situated, was completely ablaze.

No one was injured, but after running out with just what they were wearing the couple have practically nothing left.

They have thanked everyone who has bought clothes, offered messages of support and the Moray Darts Association who Liam is a member of.

'If we hadn't heard smoke alarms, we wouldn't be here'

Raymond and Karen explained how they had to leave their flat immediately.

He said: "We were woken with the smoke alarms coming from the flat downstairs.

"We just went down to see what the commotion was about, and then some of the other tenants downstairs were screaming “get out, get out”.

"The scary thing is that Liam was still upstairs in his bed oblivious, so we just had to shout him, grab him and get out. No time to grab anything".

Karen added: "We knew something was seriously wrong with all the shouting and screaming.

"When we opened our door, the smoke just hit us so we just had to run through it and get out.

"Our bedroom is completely gone.

"We were fast asleep, if we hadn’t heard, we wouldn’t be here. "

'It doesn’t matter who you are, Elgin will rally round you'

The family are currently staying with a relative and have been overwhelmed with the support they have already received.

With Liam currently being the youngest member of the Moray Darts Association, the group have rallied round to try and fundraise £5,000 for the family.

Raymond says ever since his son joined, they have welcomed him with open arms.

He said: "I can’t thank Michael Smith ‘Teddy’ enough who set up the GoFundMe. Chris Cheshire the president he’s been brilliant as well, fellow members.

"You can sit here and rattle off names, but you just want to thank them all. It doesn’t matter who you are, the town of Elgin will rally round you.

Karen added: "There’s no words to describe how brilliant Moray darts association have been."

Police Scotland say there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.

A spokesperson said: "Around 2.35am on Tuesday, 18 October, 2022, police were alerted to a fire at a building in North Guildry Street in Elgin.

"Emergency services attended and the building was evacuated.

"There are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances and enquiries are ongoing."

The Moray Darts Association fundraiser can be accessed here.