Fire victims are arrested on warrant

The burnt-out interior of the stairway in the block of flats in Muirhouse Grove

The pair were rescued along with two other residents from the top floor of a four-storey block of flats in Muirhouse Grove yesterday morning.

It later emerged that police had already been hunting the 23-year-old man and 21-year-old woman in connection with other matters, and stumbled across them when they arrived to investigate the scene.

The blaze started in the common stair of the flat at around 4am yesterday. It flared up when the main door entrance to the building was opened and the air fuelled the flames.

Police, fire crews and at least three ambulances raced to the scene as smoke filled the flats.

Firefighters entered the flats while others used a ladder to get to the trapped residents.

Eyewitness Ryan Carrigan, 23, who lives across the road from the block, said: "I couldn't see flames but I could see smoke pouring out of the windows.

"There was one guy on the balcony shouting down to the firefighters and on the other side of the building was an older guy in the next flat along.

"The firemen went in the building and I could see them shining torches from inside as they looked for the trapped people. Outside they used the ladder to get to the guy on the balcony.

"It was pretty dramatic. You couldn't get down the road for all the engines, police cars and paramedics."

Andrea Devries, 30, who lives opposite the fire-hit block, added: "It took them (the fire crews] a long time to get anyone out. I was really worried there might have been children in the flat. It was so late at night that I thought this had to be something suspicious.

"If it is arson then that's horrible. I can't believe someone would try to kill someone deliberately."

One resident in the affected building, who asked not to be named, said firefighters had to use a battering ram to break the flat door down.

He said: "I woke at about 4am and I could hear people rushing up the stairs. I heard a big bang and I think it was them trying to break the door down.

"They've evacuated the people on the top two floors and rehoused them I think."

A police spokesman said: "The fire was started within a common stair and resulted in damage to the front door of one of the properties.

"Two men, aged 27 and 23, and a 21-year-old woman were removed from the flat and checked for smoke inhalation.

"Enquiries are ongoing to identify and locate those responsible for the fire and anyone with information that can assist with our enquiries is asked to contact police."