A young Scots family have been forced to live apart after their home was destroyed during a horror explosion sparked by a tealight candle. Colin Hay, 36, Nicola Jeffrey, 33, and their two daughters Aila, four, and Melanie, three, are now staying with different relatives after the powerful blast rocked their Galashiels flat.
Emergency services raced to the scene at around 3am on December 2 before evacuating all residents from the block of flats over fears for the building’s stability. The other occupiers were allowed back in around six hours later but the young family’s flat has suffered extensive damage after the windows were blown out by the force of the explosion.
Kind-hearted resident Aaron Mason has launched a fundraiser to help support the couple and their children - who are hoping to move into temporary accommodation on Christmas Eve. The 28-year-old, who owns the Bulldog Bakes cafe, said: “It’s one of those things that you read in the newspaper and say ‘oh God imagine that but it’s fine because it’ll never happen’ until it does.
