Keith woman dies following evacuation from blaze

A Moray woman has collapsed and died after being evacuated from her home to escape a fire that had been started in nearby wheelie bins.

Police are treating the blaze as suspicious and two teenagers have been arrested over the blaze in Keith.

The 62-year-old took ill as she was being escorted from her home in the early hours of Saturday morning. She was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin for treatment but died.

Firefighters put out the blaze at Cooper’s Lane West after it had been started in the bins close to the junction with Mid Street. It is understood that the woman’s death is not directly connected with the fire.

Police had issued an appeal for help in tracing two men in their late teens or early 20’s who had been in the area around the time the fire had started.

Later a police spokesman said: “We can confirm that two 18-year-old males have been charged in connection with the fire in Cooper’s Lane West at its junction with Mid Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.

“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal. The two males are expected to appear from custody at Elgin Sheriff Court on Monday.

“We can also confirm that during the evacuation of residential flats in Mid Street during the incident, a 62-year-old female became unwell and later died in hospital.

“The death is being treated as unexplained and inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.”

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