Man killed in blaze at high-rise block

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a man died in an early-morning blaze in a city high-rise.

Firefighters pulled the man from the burning flat in Niddrie after the fire broke out around 1.15am, but he did not survive.

A probe into the cause of the blaze is now underway, though police say it is not being treated

as suspicious. Residents of Greendykes Road flats close to the fire are understood to have been evacuated.

Six firefighters using breathing apparatus had entered the third floor flat and called for paramedics when they realised someone was inside.

A fire service spokesman said: "We had three fire appliances and committed six firefighters in breathing apparatus with a line of hose to deal with the flat fire.

"As a consequence of that we removed one person from the flat, who subsequently died, and we are continuing fire investigations as we speak."

A fire investigation unit has been at theGreendykes House block through the night trying to establish the cause of the blaze.

One resident of the council-owned block said he had been away overnight and returned to his flat around 5am: "I was talking to one of the concierge guys, who are there 24:7. The fire was on level three, facing the front.

"I live nigh on at the top of the block, and the smoke had risen right up to there – when I went into my flat you could smell the smoke.

"I've been there 12 or 13 years and there have been lots of fires, and I've been closer to fires than that one and it's not smelled that bad.

"When I spoke to the concierge he said they're not saying how bad it was, but he said the landing was a mess and he was cleaning up, there were pools of water and the usual thing.

"The ironic thing is that we've actually just been fitted with new fire doors on the front door of the flats, which is the new big thing that the council are pushing. Over the years I've been there, there have been four or five flat fires plus lots of fires in the bin chutes.

"I left at 6am and a new metal door was going on the flat and all the windows were open."

The crews from Newcraighall, Marionville and Tollcross stations extinguished the fire by 2.30am, with crews remaining on the scene until 5am.