An early morning inferno at an Edinburgh garage is the third blaze in two weeks to be linked to a dangerous gangland vendetta.
Firefighters were called to the property at Milton Road East near Portobello early this morning after reports that a car repair business was ablaze.
The garage and the adjoined home is owned by an individual linked to a jailed gangster – as are two other properties which were set ablaze in Musselburgh and Leith.
On Sunday afternoon the scene was cordoned off with number of burnt out vehicles lying abandoned while a Police Scotland van and officers remained on site. The main home did not appear to be affected and it appears the blaze was yet another warning.
The Edinburgh Reporter understands a fourth commercial property in the south of the city is also linked to the same family and neighbours are fearful that it could also become a target. The shop unit is in a quiet residential area is located below traditional tenement flats.
This morning residents on Milton Road East awoke to a third fire in Edinburgh in 10 days linked to two gangs – amid fears there could be more theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/03/thir…
— The Edinburgh Reporter (@edinreporter.bsky.social) 16 March 2025 at 18:09
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A source said: “If the thugs behind these fires have known about the properties in Leith, Musselburgh and Portobello then there is little doubt they will also know about the other location.
“There has been no police presence and if this becomes a target then the families living above will be at serious risk. Police Scotland really have to get a grip of this before innocents are killed.”
The first incident on 6 March led to residents being evacuated in the early hours of the morning after a hooded thug firebombed the Belle Chevaux salon in Albert Street, Leith.
This was followed by a major fire on 11 March at a warehouse at Eskmills Road in Musselburgh which required nine fire appliances and 45 firefighters to deal with the incident. No one has been injured in the three incidents but major damage has been caused to all three properties.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 6.05am on Sunday, 16 March, 2025, we received a report of a fire at a property on Milton Road East, Edinburgh. Emergency services are in attendance and there are no reports of any injuries. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the cause.”
