A Scots family has been left with nothing after a blaze gutted their home and killed their beloved pets.
Emergency responders raced to extinguish the fire at the home of Dawid and Magda Slomczynski on Oxgang Road in Grangemouth after neighbours reported seeing smoke billowing from their front door shortly after 12pm on Tuesday, January 18.
Frantic neighbour Toni Coates quickly dialled the fire brigade after witnessing the inferno when she returned home.
READ MORE: Body of missing Linlithgow pensioner found in canal
Another local resident charged into her flat in order to save her pet but became ‘stuck’ until part of the flames were beaten back.
However, firefighters were unable to save Dawid and Magda’s cat Rambo and dog Kaya in the home they share with son Artur, 12.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Toni said: "I saw smoke coming from our building and realised it was coming from the bottom flat.
"There was a man on the phone to the fire brigade, he was trying all the buzzers.
Toni, who initially thought it was a 'small fire', raced inside to shut her flat windows and bang on doors to alert her neighbours before the blaze spread.
"As soon as the fire brigade put the Dawid and Magda's door in, the close just filled with thick smoke," she added.
"The windows had gone out at the back with the fire and all the flames were going up the back of the building.
"Dawid had only been out about 15 minutes shopping and their son was at school.
"He turned up about the same time as the fire brigade and tried to run in because of his dog.
"He was just shouting 'my dog is in there, my dog'. The firefighters had to stop him.
"His wife turned up after and was hysterical about the cat.
"The firefighters brought both the animals out and they were limp.
"They took the dog straight out to the back and I believe they were trying to do CPR and they tried giving the cat oxygen.
"But it was unsuccessful and they lost both their animals. It's heartbreaking, their pets were part of their family."
Toni has also been left devastated after one of her own cats, Lilly, died inside her flat due to suspected smoke inhalation.
The mum-of-three's home has been left badly damaged by the smoke, with thick layers of black soot covering carpets and surfaces.
"We realised quite quickly the extent of the damage. My daughter's grey carpet looks practically black. When you move stuff, you can see patches where things were sat", she said.
Toni knows all too well about the impact of a fire, having experienced a blaze in her own flat in January 2020.
She's now determined to help her neighbour's, who have been left devastated with no contents insurance, t rebuild their life.
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
Toni has launched a fundraiser to get them back on their feet.
Grangemouth store Second Chance has already vowed to furnish the family's home, while local shop Housecall Carpets has said they will provide flooring.
"The money we raise in the fundraiser will help them pay for clothes and all that kind of stuff. You build your life over years and they've lost everything in an instant, it's soul-destroying.
"The thought of having to start from scratch is so daunting.
"We know how devastating a fire can be, it was so raw for us, so we just want to do what we can to help", Toni said.
