A 65-year-old man has died in a house fire in Dingwall.
Neighbours have told the P&J of their shock as event unfolded in St Andrews Road.
Three fire appliances were at the scene of the blaze earlier today and one resident said they saw smoke billowing from the property.
‘He always had a Ross County jacket on’
Ed William, 21, described the man as a ‘lively old guy’.
He said: “We just came home from work and we are sorry to hear what happened.
“He always had a Ross County jacket on.
“He was always up and down here and would always knock on the door for an odd cigarette or two.
“He was a lively old guy. A harmless guy.
“He would sit there in the summer time in his chair and he would always wave and I would peep the horn at him.
“He’ll be missed by the locals that’s for sure.”
‘He had his heart in the right place’
One woman who lives across the road from the property said she saw three fire engines at the house before the road was blocked off.
She said that her neighbour had his heart in the right place’ as he would often help out a disabled woman who lives nearby.
“He would always knock on her window to see how she was doing. He seemed like a nice man. It’s a shame.”
Another neighbour who saw smoke coming from the house when she woke up this morning said “he seemed like a nice guy”. She also said he had recently been in hospital with chest pain.
Fire crews responded to incident
Firefighters, emergency services and police were alerted of a house fire in St Andrews Road, in Dingwall, just before 8am today.
Police are still at the scene of the fire and the property has been cordoned off.
A spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 7.49am on Thursday, 8 February, to reports of a fire on St Andrews Road, Dingwall.
“Operations Control mobilised three fire appliances.”
Officers investigating circumstances of fire
Police confirmed that a 65-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
A police spokesperson said: “Around 8am on Thursday, officers received a report of a fire on St Andrew’s Road, Dingwall.
Three police vehicles remained at the scene after 7pm.
“Emergency services attended and a 65-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Inquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 07:58 to attend an incident on St Andrew’s Road, Dingwall.
“One ambulance was dispatched to the scene.”
