Home destroyed in overnight blaze

A family home in Vidlin has been destroyed following a fire overnight on Wednesday.

Fire crews were called shortly after 8.30pm to the one-and-a-half storey detached property. Fire control this morning confirmed the house was “completely destroyed” in the blaze.

Appliances from Brae, Lerwick, Hillswick, Bixter and Scalloway were involved in tackling the fire and fire fighters used three main jets and two hose reel jets to get the inferno under control, with a relay pump supplying water from the open water.

The last of the fire crews left the scene shortly after 5am on Thursday. Nobody had to be rescued from the fire and nobody was injured.

Incident commanderDerek Wilkie  said high winds, coupled with the wooden structure, meant the home and an adjoining garage were destroyed.

Mr Wilkie, said: “The Brae crew were first on scene and when they arrived they were met with a well-developed fire in the garage area which adjoined the house.

“Both structures were of timber construction and the fire condition was exacerbated by the high winds. These factors made it an extremely challenging job for the crews, but they tackled the fire in their usual professional manner.”

He added: “We also had to cool some gas cylinders which were in the vicinity of the fire. We fought the fire in sectors and used a thermal imaging camera. Around 22 fire personnel were involved in the incident.”

A investigation into the cause of the fire will be conducted.

More in tomorrow’s Shetland Times.