Emergency Help due to fire

I hate having to do this but someone suggested it and to be honest anything would be helpful.

On 15th September 2023 we parked up next to the beach in rural Scotland after visiting my Dad in a care home. As I got out the car, my friend screamed and I turned to see flames shooting up in the front cab.

Running back we got the dogs out and I jumped in the back to get the fire extinguisher. When that was empty I jumped back in the back again to get the fire blanket out. Neither worked. The van was full of thick black smoke and we were very aware that it had 3/4 diesel in and a gas canister. So we moved to safety.

999 was obviously called but due to where we were this took some time to get to us. The van burnt for almost an hour. The fire brigade were amazing as were the paramedics who checked us out for smoke inhalation and shock. They believe it was just a freak accident as the engine was off, keys out and no warning signs or suggestion of what caused this.

The most important thing is we are safe. We got out and the two dogs got out as well. We are immensely lucky that this didn’t happen whilst we were asleep.

However, it has left us stranded. The local people have been beyond amazing and rallied around us. But the van was out accommodation as well as our transport.

Helpfully the insurance last night told us to stay with the vehicle and they would cover hotel costs and get us home today. Today we have been told that the out of hours insurance is a different agency and our actual insurance will not. They advise that they would have returned us home last night instead but not the day after.

Despite this, as a gesture of goodwill they have agreed to get us home, but this won’t be till at least Monday. They will not fund any accommodations or transport in the mean time. We are currently 500 miles from home.

The hotel for the next two nights is £185 and we have had to get a hire car until Monday due to where we are in the highlands which has cost us another £130.

Apart from two bags for life, our possessions perished. My phone, laptop, clothes, medication, car key, house keys, personal items even stupid things like my hair straighteners and our favourite game of Dobble.

Hopefully our insurance will come through, but truthfully I don’t hold out much hope. They have said they will cover the vehicle but not possessions.

Again, they are just possessions. Everything can be replaced and I’m so grateful this is not the worst case scenario.

However for anyone who does want to help and is in a position to in these trying times this is the place to do it.

Any help towards the accommodation and travel costs will be immensely appreciated. We have made the target £400 to cover our hotel and travel costs. However anything else donated will go towards replacing our clothes, my phone and personal items.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and even more so for any donation.