Fundraisers set up to help families of Lothian flat fire reaches more than £8,000

Donations made towards families who lost their homes in a recent fire have reached more than £8,000.

Fundraiser pages were set up for the victims of a fire which ripped through a block of flats in Lonehead at about 3.30am on Sunday morning.

Pictures of the scene show the entire roof of the three-story building, in McNeill Terrace, up in flames which left the homes of many devastated.

In a dramatic escape, Colin Walker, 32, leapt from a fourth-floor window in the building, and managed to break the falls of his children and partner, 37-year-old Michelle Coleman.

Picture showing the flames and the damage caused at the Loanhead flat fire picture: supplied

According to the Daily Record, the hero dad was left partially blinded by shards of glass that flew into his eyes.

He has since undergone a three-hour-long surgery to save his vision.

His children – one-year-old Flynn and his sister Erin, nine, both suffered broken legs during their falls, while mum Michelle broke her arm.

One justgiving page, set up by Jamie Campbell, has surpassed it’s £5,000 target and raised £5,674 for Colin and his family.

A fundraising second page, set up by Maria Knox to raise £2,000 for the same family has reached £2,360.

Ms Knox wrote: “Looking to help one of my best friends whose family home has just been destroyed in a fire.

“Me and my sister have spoken with the family who have agreed we can set up this Go Fund Me account to help raise money for Colin, Michelle and their five children.

“From what we know Colin has been an absolute hero and have saved every single one of the children from the top floor and also his partner.”

It is understood Colin is a youth football coach in Loanhead and considered ‘a hero to most of the kids.’

A third fundraiser has been set up by Adam Drape who claims a family of four have also lost their home in the fire.

The justgiving page has so far raised £350 of its £2,000 target.

A post on Mr Drape’s fundraiser page read: “A good friend of mine last night had a fire above him in his block of flats where he stays with his partner and two kids.

"They managed to get back in today (Sunday) to check the damage but have lost every thing due the the smoke damage and water damage, so they pretty have much nothing.

"With it being so close to Christmas as well and having enough to worry about, I was hoping we could put a smile back on him and his family’s face.”

Six people had to be taken to hospital to be checked over following the Sunday morning blaze.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue service said they sent crews, including four appliances, after it was alerted to the fire at about 3.30am.

An update is yet to be given on what caused the fire.

You can donate to the justgiving pages by clicking on these links:

Jamie Campbell

Maria Knox

Adam Drape

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