Firefighters have attended a number of fires in the Portobello including a tenement block of flats in the Bath Street.
Ten residents which included two children were treated at the scene by Firefighters and Ambulance personnel for ‘mild’ smoke inhalation following a fire within the tenement block of flats in Bath Street.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were alerted to the incident at 6:30pm on Sunday evening (1st December), to which local fire crews from Musselburgh, Newcraighall, Liberton and Marionville were immediately dispatched. Upon their arrival, crews were met with a fire within the common stair of the five storey tenement property, which caused heavy smoke. Firefighters used ladders and specialist high reach equipment to remove six residents, which included the two children from upper floors, leading them to a place of safety as well as leading four residents from ground level. The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, using main water jets and none of the residents required hospital treatment.
Group Manager Jimmy Melvin from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “The heavy smoke logging within the common area of this block of flats which caused the residents a great deal of distress and disruption. The first attending crews worked quickly to lead 10 residents to safety whilst the fire was extinguished and the area made safe. Some residents were re-assured by Firefighters at the scene and remained within their homes, taking advice from Firefighters to conceal doorways to prevent smoke entering and to move to a safe room within the flat.”
At 6.50pm the first crew were also called out to Bridge Street where a bicycle was set alight in a stair. Firefighters out the fire out using breathing apparatus and one high pressure hose. One woman was treated for smoke inhalation but didn’t need hospital treatment.
At 7.20pm crews were called to a third fire in a four storey block at Kings Place at the foot of Kings Road. The fire was extinguished using a high pressure hose and six firefighters using breathing apparatus.
Two wheelie bins were also set on fire in a stairwell at Loganlea Place.
The fire service are carrying out their investigations into the causes of these fires.
With the fire starting in the common entrance to the property, Group Manager Melvin also gave some sound advice: “Residents should avoid placing refuse or any combustible material in these common areas, as this increases the risk of fires starting.”
Inspector Neil Clyde from the local police team has also been in touch with local Councillors. CID officers are carrying out the investigation in conjunction with the Fire Service’s fire investigation team. In addition to the initial door to door enquiries, community police officers in the area are doing letter drops to establish whether we might have seen anybody suspicious hanging around? High visibility patrols will be carried out this evening in the area. Police are also linking in with the local Council community safety manager Derek McGowan and his team.
If you have any information that would help identify culprits, please do contact the police through 101 (directly) or face-to-face as officers are on patrol or knocking on our doors or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 (anonymously).
To arrange a free Home Fire Safety Visit for you or someone you know, call The Scottish Fire & Rescue on 0800 0731 999 or text “check” to 61611. You can also get in touch by calling your local community fire station.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
