Wee Toon fire leaves residents homeless
Following the fire police arrested a man and a report was sent to the procurator fiscal
FIREFIGHTERS raced to Albyn Avenue as flames ripped through a first floor flat.
Firefighters took just seven minutes to arrive at the terraced flats late last Saturday afternoon.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesman said: ‘Before firefighters, in two appliances, arrived they could see smoke billowing 30ft to 40ft into the air.
‘The fire had engulfed the flat with flames coming six to seven feet out of the windows, on the bal- cony area and flames were up on the roof.’
A witness from a nearby property, who did not want to be named, said: ‘At first there were puffs of smoke coming out of the doors and windows which became eight-foot flames licking over the roof and round the walls.’
Attic space
Firefighters hit the blaze with a main branch hose from the ground, while a team equipped with breathing apparatus, using a main jet, entered the property. A further team went into the building to get into the attic space which the fire had also breached.
SFRS watch manager Ronnie Souden said: ‘The fire was brought under control quickly.’
Tenants of Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) living in adjacent properties were evacuated by police, who had attended an incident at the property earlier in the afternoon, after a call at about 3pm.
A 999 call alerted firefighters at 4.26pm, and they were mobile by 4.30pm and in attendance at 4.33pm.
Police officers told firefighters that everyone was out of the properties and that noone was missing.
On Tuesday Mr Soud-
en added: ‘All the crews involved in the incident worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control.
‘Four trainees on development, with less than six months’ service, were involved.
‘One crew remained at the incident awaiting the conclusion of a police investigation, before they could complete stripping down the property. They finished at midnight.’
It was reported afterwards that firefighters had problems with three street hydrants which were seized-up or otherwise inoperable but it did not affect performance as both appliances had enough water.
A Scottish Water (SW) spokesperson said: ‘Fire hydrants on Scottish Water’s distribution mains are inspected by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
‘SW is required, at the request and expense of the SFRS, to fix fire hydrants on its mains, keep them in good order and renew them.
‘SW has received no request to repair any fire hydrants at this location.
‘If requested by the SFRS to increase the supply or pressure of water in its network, Scottish Water must do so if practicable.
‘SW works in partnership with the SFRS and is not aware of any issues at this time and location.
‘However, SW would, of course, carry out work in accordance with the above at the request of the fire service.’
ACHA chief executive Alastair MacGregor said: ‘Two of our tenants were evacuated on Saturday and we currently have three tenants either staying in temporary accommodation or with family members.
‘ACHA’s priority is to support our tenants at this difficult time following the fire.
‘We are liaising with our tenants on the most appropriate way to meet their future housing needs, which could result in alternative housing if they do not wish to return to Albyn Avenue.
‘The association is carrying out insurance assessments with our loss adjuster and, once that is completed, we will be able to work on a timeline to repair the fire damage to our properties.’
Following the fire, police arrested a man and a report was sent to the procurator fiscal.