The owner of the Lhanbryde property that was gutted by a serious fire on Thursday has been explaining why he returned into his blazing home to save a pet.
Kevin Ross, 42, had been awakened by a passing motorist banging on his door at St Andrew’s Road in the town after flames had been spotted coming from his roof.
Mr Ross told a P&J reporter how he was shocked at how quickly the blaze had taken hold – and how he ignored the advice of firefighters to go back into the house and rescue Marley, his pet Indian Ringneck Parrot.
The 42-year-old mechanic said: “I just thought I’ll have to go back and get him – the fireman said ‘you can’t go in there’, but it just had to be done.
“I took him down the back stairs and the neighbour came out and took him into her place – he was safe enough in there.
“Marley speaks away to me, shares my breakfast and my dinner.”
Mr Ross was full of praise for the hero who raised the alarm who is believed to be from Buckie: “I would not be here but that man saw the flames from the bypass and saved my life.”
42 firefighters from Elgin, Fochabers, Lossiemouth and Inverness fought the blaze at 10pm on Thursday before finally bringing it under control shortly after midnight. Crews remained at the scene until 4am to dampen down the building.