A community has come out in support of an Oban family who lost their home to fire.
Fire fighter and family friend Brian MacDonald, 42, set up a Just Giving page within hours of the blaze taking place in Colonsay Terrace, Soroba.
Mr MacDonald is currently retiring after being diagnosed with MND in February.
However, he was moved to help Danica Laird Fleming, who was out when the fire took hold, and her partner Tomasz Kapusta, who suffered smoke inhalation, after they lost everything in a fire on Sunday night.
Greig Fleming, fire station manager, said: “We were alerted at 8.02pm on Sunday to reports of a well-developed flat fire within a four-storey building on Colonsay Terrace.
“Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and an aerial vehicle to the scene, where crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished a fire within the kitchen of a second-floor property.
“A man suffering from mild smoke inhalation received oxygen therapy at the scene and was passed into the care of ambulance personnel, but did not require hospital treatment.
“There were no other reported casualties.
“A total of eight properties were evacuated, and all residents were accounted for.
“Firefighters thereafter ventilated the building, and left the scene at 11.29pm.”
Mr MacDonald has worked as a fire fighter in Glasgow for the last 13 years.
He is moving home to Oban on Friday to be close to family.
Last night the JustGiving page had reached more than £2,000.
Mr MacDonald said: “I grew up with the Lairds and I treated them like family. I know Danica’s mum Brenda and her sister Leigh.
“Because I was a fire fighter for 13 years, I know what it’s like. When you are coming out of a house fire and you see the devastation on people’s faces.
“Danica was out with workmates and got the phone call to say her house was on fire.
“The devastation a house fire causes is massive. Thankfully no one was hurt.
“I was lying in bed and I couldn’t sleep after hearing about it. I couldn’t stop thinking about them and decided I needed to try to help.
“Oban is a great community and people will get together and support them.”
Danica was too upset to speak to the press but commented on the JustGiving page: “I can’t thank you all enough, especially Brian for setting this up.”
