A MUM and her three young children fled a fire at their Dunfermline home. 

Neighbours of the family, who live in Islay Road, told the Press the family was uninjured but left visibly shaken by the incident, which is believed to have started in a linen cupboard. 

Next door neighbour Robert Brown tried to tackle the blaze with a fire extinguisher but was scared that oxygen tanks his wife relies on might have exploded in their home.

He said: "I heard a racket at about 2am and I saw the lassie running around with her bairn in her arms. 

"I went out with a fire extinguisher but it ran out and the fire reignited. 

"I just went out in a pair of trousers, so I was freezing, but I went running back when I realised that the oxygen tanks that my wife relies on for her illness might blow up. 

"Thankfully, the fire service was here quite quickly after that. 

"The mother was quite scared but I am just glad that no-one was hurt."
Three crews of firefighters from Dunfermline raced to Islay Road at about 2.20am on Sunday, January 21 after reports of a fire within the two-storey semi-detached house. 

Robert said the fire had gutted the family's home and had caused water damage but hadn't damaged their own property. 

"The firemen checked our loft but it was all OK," he said. "I've had to keep the windows open to get rid of the smoke though."

Other people in the street were also alerted to the fire and rushed to the family's rescue. 

Alan Cuthill, who lives opposite the fire blaze, said: "I had just come back into my bedroom from the toilet when I looked outside and saw the woman. 

"I thought she was just having a cigarette at first but she came banging on the door a few moments later.

"My wife called the fire brigade and all the children came in our house. 

"The mother was crying and clearly very upset – they also thought their kitten has been left. 

"The police took them off to temporary accommodation but they came to get some belongings the next day.

"They came and told us they were very grateful for our help and their kitten had managed to escape."

It's not known where the family are following the fire, which is being investigated by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.