70 firefighters tackle massive Aberdeen blaze

MORE than 70 firefighters have spent the night tackling a massive blaze at derelict hospital buildings in Aberdeen on the service’s busiest night of the year.

The blaze occurred in a former hospital. Picture: Fubar News

Firefighting teams were still at the scene of the Guy Fawkes night blaze this morning, dampening down the damaged buildings at the Royal Cornhill Hospital site - more than nine hours after the ferocious fireerupted.

They prevented the need for an evacuation of any patients from the Royal Cornhill Hospital site off the city’s Berryden Road. Royal Cornhill is the main psychiatric hospital for patients in the North east.

A total of 15 fire appliances, including four specialist support units, raced to the scene after the fire in the derelict hospital buildings was discovered shortly after 10pm last night. The cause of the blaze is still to be investigated.

Local councillor Bill Cormie, who lives nearby, said: “I could see it all from my bedroom window. The sky was absolutely full of huge waves of smoke and there were flames everywhere. There were waves and waves of smoke and that continued in the early hours. Thankfully it was in an older part of the hospital and no one was in the building.”

A spokesman for Police Scotland described the blaze as “significant.” He continued: The fire was discovered at derelict hospital buildings in the Royal Cornhill Hospital site off Berryden Road, Aberdeen about 10pm on Tuesday. The fire rapidly spread in the derelict buildings and due to the significance of the blaze 15 appliances from Scottish Fire and Rescue attended with over 70 fire-fighters involved attempting to bring it under control.

“NHS Grampian, Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service worked closely during the night to ensure that no evacuation of Royal Cornhill Hospital was required. However, due to the severity of the blaze, Berryden Road is currently closed to traffic.”

He continued: “The buildings are still smouldering with difficulty in containing the fire. Structural damage to the buildings is expected which will make the area particularly hazardous.”

Inspector Colin Taylor said: “At this stage the cause of the fire remains unknown and any person who may have any information relating to the fire is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you wish to remain anonymous.

Andy Coueslant, the fire service’s area manager, said: “Crews are working very hard to control and extinguish the fire at the end of an already busy night dealing with multiple incidents.”