Tayside nursing home fire pensioner dies

A pensioner who was badly burned in a fire at a Perth nursing home has died. Edward Waddle died following the blaze at Tayside Nursing Home In Isla Road.

The 65-year-old, who had been a resident since December, suffered burns and smoke inhalation in the fire.

He was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but died on Saturday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Tayside Nursing Home in the early hours of Saturday.

Tayside Fire and Rescue said there were no suspicious circumstances, but a joint investigation is being carried out by a police forensic team and firefighters to establish the cause of the blaze.

Fire service station manager Fraser Raitt said: “Just before 1am on Saturday, Tayside fire control received a 999 call from staff at Tayside Care Home reporting that there was a fire with persons trapped.

“Five fire appliances with a total of 22 firefighters were dispatched.

“On arrival fire crews were informed of a fire in a ground-floor bedroom.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and discovered an elderly gentleman who was suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

“They removed him from the building and passed him to paramedics who were on scene.”

Mr Raitt said crews then extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet and searched to ensure that there was no one else in the building.

“There was also a roll call of the premises carried out to ensure all persons were evacuated and accounted for,” he said.

“A total of 52 people were evacuated from the building, with no other injuries reported.

“Sadly, Mr Waddle died of his injuries while in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee at approximately 4pm on Saturday.

“Tayside Fire and Rescue wish to pass on their condolences to friends and family of Mr Waddle.”

Tayside Police confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire.

A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.