A fire which broke out on the Rose Street side of the former Jenners building has resulted in a great deal of activity in the city centre involving all emergency services on Monday, and many streets are closed to pedestrians and traffic.
Some fire appliances have now left the scene, but there is still a large number of emergency service personnel on site.
STV have reported unconfirmed reports of firefighters having been injured on site during the response to the 999 call.
George Street travelling eastwards from Hanover Street, St Andrew Square itself, South St David Street at the north side of the square and Rose Street are all closed off by a police cordon.
Edinburgh Police tweeted earlier: “South St David Street, Edinburgh, and a number of surrounding roads, have been closed to traffic and pedestrians following a building fire.
“Please avoid the area if possible and follow directions regarding alternative routes.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 11.29am on Monday, 23 January to reports of a commercial building fire at Rose Street, Edinburgh.
“Operations Control has mobilised a total of 22 appliances and other specialist resources to the scene, where crews remain in attendance.”
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s so sad to see a fire at one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings. I’d like to thank the fire service for their speedy response.
“Council officers remain on the scene and are supporting the emergency services and those affected by the fire.
“Understandably, there have been a number of road closures in the area, which has affected transport in the city centre. Please keep an eye on travel messages to make sure you’re up-to-date with any changes to your journey.
“Hopefully the damage to the building will be minimal so that restoration work can continue and the building can be enjoyed for another 100 years – and beyond.”
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