Woman, 58, dies after fire at house in Galston
A 58-year-old woman has died following a fire at her home in East Ayrshire, yesterday morning.
Emergency services were called shortly after 08:30 after the blaze broke out in an upstairs bedroom, fire crews entered the property and extinguished the blaze.
The woman, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal. It is not thought that the fire was suspicious.
Scottish zoo fire leaves animals and reptiles dead
Fire broke out at a Scottish zoo in the early hours of Sunday morning leaving reptiles, insects and an otter dead.
The alarm was raised at about 4am. Around 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the reptile house of Five Sisters Zoo in Polbeth, West Lothian.
Lesley Coupar, from marketing and visitor services at the zoo, described the blaze as “the worst nightmare”.
“We’re in the business of rescuing animals, giving a safe haven to animals,” she said. “To look now at the shell of the reptile house and everything gone from there, it’s just the worst tragedy ever. The owners are obviously distraught, as are we all. We’re all animal lovers.
Full details of the animals affected will not be available until it is safe for zoo staff to access affected areas. Apart from the otter, the animals that died were in the reptile house.
An investigation into the cause of the fire will be launched.