Mother and baby taken to hospital after deliberate fire

Published on 14/08/2012 18:07

A MOTHER and her three-month-old baby were taken to hospital after a fire was started deliberately at a block of flats.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at Royston Mains Gardens, in the Granton area of Edinburgh, just before 11.30am today.

They discovered the back door and rubbish to the rear of the three-storey property well alight and the common stair filled with smoke.

The woman, 28, and her baby girl were led to safety by firefighters and taken by ambulance to the city’s Royal Infirmary to be checked over.

Crews checked all of the neighbouring properties to make sure everyone was accounted for, before extinguishing the flames.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: “Initial investigations suggest that rubbish which had been stored at the back door was deliberately set alight.

“This led to the door catching fire and the common stair filling with smoke. This would have been a very frightening experience for householders.

“Fortunately, firefighters were on site quickly and were able to help residents out of the building before extinguishing the blaze.

“We can’t stress enough the importance of keeping common areas free from junk and rubbish.

“It’s an attractive target for firesetters and can put people at risk of deliberately-set fires.”