Drugs found in flats above fire-hit shop

Police officers have uncovered a cannabis cultivation while investigating the impact that a takeaway blaze in Perth had on upstairs flats.

Following Sunday night’s fire at fast food outlet Elrasheed D’lite on Scott Street, 11 people from seven flats upstairs were evacuated.

Officers returned to the scene yesterday morning to conduct routine inquiries and scope out the smoke and fire damage sustained by the apartments above the popular, family- run takeaway.

Upon carrying out inspections within the upstairs properties, police stumbled upon a sizeable cannabis cultivation and a trio of officers donning latex gloves were spotted carrying the plants, sealed in large black evidence bags, into a van parked outside.

Having concluded that the fire was not started suspiciously, officers are now looking into the drugs.

Officers have confirmed that the cultivation was found in an upstairs property and not in the ground-floor kebab shop.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Inquiries have been carried out and there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding a fire at Scott Street in Perth.

“An evacuation of a number of flats was undertaken as a precaution and as a result of this, officers discovered what appeared to be a cannabis cultivation.

“An investigation is now under way.”

Meanwhile, residents remain in temporary accommodation after the flats were evacuated.

The fire, which started shortly after 4pm on Sunday, engulfed Elrasheed D’lite and forced upstairs neighbours to flee from their homes.

Almost 40 firefighters from Perth and Auchterarder stations extinguished the flames within the shop and flat a floor up with jet hoses. Among those forced to move out were Roman and Malgorzata Klinkosz.

The Polish couple have lived two floors above the fast food outlet for seven years, and are now staying with friend Agnieszka Drywa.

Agnieszka said: “It ’ s heartbreaking. It was really quite scary.

“The fire seemed to start in the shop and spread throughout the building and into the flat above.

“The flames didn’t reach (Roman and Malgorzata’s) flat, but there was a really strong smell of smoke.

“They were in the flat at the time and left straight away.

“The owner of the shop was outside and he was really upset.

“We’re trying to contact our landlord, but they’re staying with me just now.”

Perth and Kinross Council has moved the tenants of one flat to emergency accommodation, but is prepared to provide more housing if needed.

PROBE: Police remove items from a property in Perth. Picture by Mhairi Edwards.