An Ayr mum and her pregnant daughter were left trapped in a top floor flat after blaze thugs torched the front door in a murder bid.
Traumatised Elsa Hainey,44, and her 27-year-old daughter Gemma Wild — who is expecting twins — had to escape toxic smoke by sheltering on their balcony as flames crept up the main door.
Elsa has told how she woke up to the smell of smoke in the early hours of Saturday morning before noticing flames and intense heat coming from her front door on the fourth floor of flats in the town’s Russel Drive.
The mum-of-two was told to go to her balcony to get air after she made a panicked 999 call.
Elsa told Ayrshire Live: “On Friday night I was in here, my daughter was in here and her boyfriend. We were celebrating as we had a wee gender reveal for her. She is 16 weeks pregnant with twins.
“We all went to bed then I got woken up with the smell of smoke. I got up to check what was going on and I couldn’t get out my front door.
“I could see the flames through the glass bit of my door and I could feel the heat coming through.
“I wasn’t able to tell if it was the close that was on fire or it was neighbour across the landing. I just saw the flicker of the flames.
“I just wanted to get out of there. I was in a panic, I was fearing for my daughter but we had no choice but to go to the balcony.
“We had to stand out there and put something behind the door to stop the smoke coming in.
“We just had to wait until the firefighters put out the flames before we could leave.”
Elsa who suffers from asthma and COPD had to be given oxygen by paramedics who had rushed to the scene.
And she has told how firefighters said she was lucky to escape the blaze with just minor problems.
Elsa said: “The firefighters said I was lucky that I had smelt the smoke when I did and that we had a balcony to escape to.
“Our lives were in danger. I was absolutely petrified.
Elsa who has lived in Russel Drive for almost 15 years says she has never felt so threatened.
The fire attack has caused her to flee from the Wallacetoun estate but she feels bad for her neighbours who are now ‘living in fear’.
She added; “It is getting worse round here. There are a lot of new younger people who don’t show any respect.
“My neighbour who has been there for 40 years is so scared that something else will happen. Setting a fire like put all of our lives at risk.”
The cause of the fire remains unknown but Elsa says she found a half bottle of Buckfast lying at her front door after the blaze was put out.
Cops are treating the fire as attempted murder and have launched a major probe.
Detectives investigating the blaze have appealed to any witnesses and anyone who has dash cam, or private space CCTV footage
Detective inspector Martin Prendergast, of Ayr CID, said: “Thankfully no-one was injured, however, the fire was started deliberately and could have had serious consequences.”
Extra patrols have been placed around Wallacetoun to reassure residents.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident 0677 of Saturday, September 10.
Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give your information anonymously.
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