Family rescued from Glasgow city centre blaze

A family including a young child were rescued from a top floor flat after a fire in a Glasgow restaurant below their home.

The blaze is thought to have started in the kitchen of the Steak and Cherry restaurant in one of Glasgow's busiest streets.

Three appliances were sent to the scene in Sauchiehall Street after a call at around 11pm last night.

Two men, two women and a child were rescued by firefighters on ladders.

The family were taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary for a precautionary check-up.

In total 11 fire engines and around 70 firefighters tackled the blaze.

Part of Sauchiehall Street remained closed this morning as firefighters investigated the cause of the blaze.

A spokesman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said: "On arrival the crews were faced with a rapidly developing fire involving the restaurant itself and spreading to occupied residential tenement flats above.

"Crews had to deal simultaneously with the original fire, it's spread to the upper floors and more immediately, a family trapped by smoke in their top floor flat.

"Due to the construction of these property types, hidden fire spread via enclosed voids and spaces, are notoriously difficult and dangerous for crew to tackle."

Premises and flats on either side of the building were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Area commander Garry Milne praised his firefighters.

He said: "The rescue of this family from the upper floors, was a textbook ladder rescue."