Five rescued from flats fire

Five people were rescued after a fire broke out at a block of flats on Thursday night.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue were called to the blaze at a second-floor flat in Centenary Court, Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, at about 8pm, where the incident commander assessed the situation as “dangerous”, as the fire was said to be at risk of spreading rapidly through the four-storey building.

Firefighters rescued five residents, who were given oxygen at the scene until the ambulance service arrived.

Two of the casualties were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Teams used jets to extinguish the flames and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue warned that over the festive period, alcohol is often a “common theme” with many fire fatalities.