Firefighters race to blaze at block of flats

Published on Thursday 10 June 2010 09:58

A FIRE in a block of flats in Leith sparked a major emergency services response.

Nine fire engines, police and ambulance were called to the fire, which spread over two floors of a block in Pirrie Street today.

Emergency services feared that people may have been trapped in the block, but upon investigation firefighters found that everyone in the burning flats had escaped.

However, a number of people in neighbouring flats were walked to safety, while eight fire fighters extinguished the blaze using two high pressure hose reels.

Ambulance crews checked over four residents but they did not require treatment.

Eyewitness David Urquhart, 66, a retired joiner from nearby Cambridge Avenue, said: "It was a bit of a surprise seeing all the fire engines, police and ambulances. The damage looked quite bad."