40-foot area scorched in blaze at Caird Park

A FORTY-foot area of shrubbery has been scorched in a fire close to a city athletics ground.

Pictures taken by a passerby show large flames tearing through bushes surrounding the Ronnie McIntosh Athletics Stadium in Caird Park.

Two appliances from the Kingsway East Fire Station attended and used two hosereel jets to bring the blaze under control.

A dog walker today said a “40-foot area” of greenery had been damaged by the fire.

He said: “I’ve just come down to walk the dog and this whole area is scorched.

“It is near the running track but thankfully it was far enough away not to have caused it any damage.

“It certainly looks suspicious. There is nothing nearby you would think would have triggered this fire.”

He added: “Given the greenery around here you would presume there would have been some sort of wildlife living in there as well.”

Yvonne Mullen, chairwoman at the Mill o’ Mains Pavilion, which was destroyed by a blaze in July 2017 said she was “shocked” to hear about the fire half a mile away from her neighbourhood.

She added: “One of the parents had mentioned the fire while attending the Dundee Bairns lunches and I was shocked to hear about the incident.

“We’ve experienced first hand how hard it is to keep things going in the aftermath of the fire at the pavilion and thankfully we have been able to do that.

“There has obviously been a significant level of investment in the sporting facilities in Caird Park in recent times and no one would have wanted to see the area damaged by a fire.”

A spokesman for Police

Scotland said the force had not been notified of the blaze, which took place on Sunday evening. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said officers stood down from the scene shortly before 10.30pm.

Leisure and Culture Dundee were approached for comment.

At the height of the blaze and the scorched remains.