Vital smoke alarm was missing from blaze victim's flat

Published on Monday 9 March 2009 21:13

A FLAT in which a pensioner died following a fire had had its smoke detector removed, it was revealed yesterday.

Gordon Bremner, 68, was caught in the blaze in his first-floor flat in Dundee on Sunday evening.

Firefighters who attended the three-storey tenement shortly after 8:15pm found Mr Bremner in the common close suffering from smoke inhalation. He was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead some time later.

A Tayside Fire and Rescue spokesman said yesterday: "The property, which was part of a three-storey tenement block, had a smoke alarm fitted within the flat. However, it had been removed."

Station manager Ron Massie said that more than 20 firefighters arrived at the property in the city's Lochee district. Wearing breathing apparatus, they entered the building and were able to extinguish the flames.

The blaze is believed to have started in the living room and been caused by "discarded smoking material".

Three fire appliances were used during the incident, along with an aerial platform and a control support unit, and the road had to be closed.

A council spokesman, who confirmed the victim was a council tenant, said: "Smoke alarms are provided in all council properties.

"They are hard-wired when properties are upgraded as part of the rewiring process.

"If not the upgraded hard-wired type, then they are the battery-operated model, which we replace as and when necessary. Tenants are responsible for battery replacement."

Mr Bremner's death is the second such tragedy within a week in Dundee.