A 41 year-old man has been arrested and charged after a flat was allegedly torched in Ayrshire. The alleged early-hours attempted murder bid took place on Russell Drive in Ayr at around 4.30am on Saturday, September 10.
Emergency services, including Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, raced to the scene of the top-floor flat blaze, where two women were stuck inside. Elsa Hainey, 44, and pregnant daughter, Gemma Wild, 27, were trapped in the property, and had to escape toxic smoke by sheltering on their balcony as flames crept up the main door.
Traumatised Elsa told Ayrshire Live: “On Friday night my daughter, her boyfriend and I were here. We were celebrating as she is 16 weeks pregnant with twins, and we had a gender reveal for her.
"We all went to bed then I woke up with the smell of smoke. I got up to check what was going on but couldn’t get out my front door. I could see the flames through the glass bit of my door and I could feel the heat coming through.
“I just wanted to get out of there. I was in a panic, I was fearing for my daughter but we had no choice but to go to the balcony. We had to stand out there and put something behind the door to stop the smoke coming in. Our lives were in danger. I was absolutely petrified."
Photos taken at the address show the balcony in question, as well as the front door of the property which is burnt out and charred debris which is strewn across the hallway.
Although Elsa, who suffers from asthma and COPD, had to be given oxygen by paramedics at the scene, it is understood no one suffered serious injuries as a result of the fire, which was eventually extinguished.
Due to the circumstances, however, cops believe it was a targeted attack. On Wednesday, a 41-year-old man was arrested in connection with the fire.
He appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court yesterday charged with wilful fire raising to danger of life. He made no plea and was released on bail. He will appear again in due course.
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