Wheelchair man dies in freak blaze

May 15 2008 By George Topp

A DISABLED Carluke man died after his electric wheelchair caught fire, it is understood.

Police and fire sources told the Advertiser wheelchair-bound Denis McKenna (55), was calling the emergency services when he passed away.

The fire occurred in his Kirk Road home on Thursday night.

Initially, locals feared there had been a gas explosion.

Nearby residents say they heard a loud bang, but Scottish Gas officials later confirmed there had been no gas leak.

A Strathclyde Fire and Rescue spokesman said they had been called to the house around 8.50pm.

He added: "On arrival, crews established that there was a fire within the bungalow.

"The officer in charge had reason to believe that the male occupant was still inside the house and immediately committed four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus to enter the building to rescue the man and extinguish the fire. Sadly, it was discovered that the occupant had already perished at the scene."

Fire and police sources said that they believed Mr McKenna called for help after his wheelchair caught fire, although officially all the authorities would say this week was that "specialist officers from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue were carrying out a joint investigation with police into the cause of the blaze."

His death has shocked neighbours, who described Mr McKenna as "a lovely and intelligent guy."

They said that he did not allow his disability, a degenerative disease, to get in his way and he used his mobility scooter to get around, and shop in the town centre.

Only last week, he attended the funeral of a family member.

Although born in Carluke his family moved to Cumbria soon after he was born and it was there that his disability was diagnosed.

The family later moved to Ayr where Mr McKenna was educated.

He returned to Carluke at the age of 19, studied computing, and worked as a computer programmer.

Latterly, he worked with the Blood Transfusion Service at Law Hospital, retiring in the mid 1990s.

A keen photographer, he had been close to completing an honours degree in European Studies at The Open University.

Clydesdale MSP Karen Gillon, who lives in Carluke, said: "This was a deeply tragic incident which has affected the whole community."

Mrs Gillon added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this terrible time."