An Edinburgh father bravely leaped 20ft from his flat balcony to safety as a fire tore through the building. Andrew Bond, 36, made a split-second decision to jump onto a mattress below after a blaze erupted at Niddrie Mills Crescent on Thursday, November 6, around 6.30pm. His partner Maureen and cousin William were rescued by firefighters, while their two children, aged 12 and four, were fortunately not at home during the incident.
Describing the terrifying experience, Andrew shared that he initially thought the fire alarm was due to someone cooking, but soon realized the severity of the situation when he saw the stairwell engulfed in darkness. With the help of his neighbour, an old mattress was placed beneath his balcony for him to land on. After the daring jump, Andrew recounted feeling sheer terror and needing medical attention to recover from the shock.
Expressing gratitude towards the firefighters and paramedics for their swift response and assistance, Andrew admitted that the thought of returning to their flat had left the family feeling fearful. The traumatic event has rattled them, with worries about a potential reoccurrence when their children are present. Ten individuals were taken to the hospital following the fire, which kept the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on-site until late evening, with ongoing police investigations at the location.
The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed deploying multiple resources to the scene, including ambulances and special operations response teams, to attend to the 10 patients transported to the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Likewise, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service detailed their involvement in extinguishing the fire affecting a ground floor flat within a three-story block of flats, with casualties receiving medical attention from ambulance services on-site.
Police Scotland reported their arrival at Niddrie Mill Crescent and ongoing inquiries to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the fire. The incident, though terrifying, highlighted the bravery of emergency responders and the community’s unity in times of crisis. Such harrowing events serve as a reminder of the importance of fire safety and preparedness in every household.