Inquiries into massive blaze at former school

FIFE: Police say fire at Inverkeithing site ‘unexplained’ as residents tell of deluge of ash

Police say they are treating a massive blaze which engulfed Inverkeithing’s former primary school as “unexplained”.

At its height, 40 firefighters battled the inferno at the derelict C-listed building in Roods Road.

No one was injured but a young woman who suffers from asthma had to be treated in hospital.

Nathalie Black, 24, suffered breathing difficulties as the blaze engulfed the century-old building, just yards from her home.

Her fiancé, Jim McDonald, 40, described being greeted by a “wall of orange” after opening their front door. “You could feel the heat,” he said. “The fire took hold in no more than 15 to 20 minutes. It was just a wall of orange.

“The smell was unbelievable. It caught the back of your throat. It was a rancid, acrid taste.”

The couple were escorted out of their home wearing breathing masks and relatives took asthmatic Nathalie to hospital.

Catherine O’Donnell, 52, who also lives near the old school, said houses and cars were covered with ash and embers as fire crews worked to bring the blaze under control.

“I had to brush the path because there was so much ash,” she said.

“I have never, ever, seen a fire like that in my life.”

People living in the vicinity were told to keep windows shut as smoke blew across the town.

Helen McManus, 67, said: “There were hot embers all over the place – on cars, everywhere.”

Roads were closed, causing early morning commuter chaos.

Detective Inspector Kelly McEwan thanked the community for its cooperation over the road closures, some of which remained in place well into yesterday.

She confirmed the fire, which was reported at 9.20pm on Monday, was being treated as unexplained and said officers were working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to investigate the full circumstances.

She appealed for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area, both before and after the fire took hold, to contact the police.

Senior fire officer Roddie Keith said the incident had been a challenging and protracted one.

The building, which dates back to 1913, was saved from demolition just weeks ago, when Allanwater Developments withdrew an application to have it razed.

Councillors had approved the demolition plans, which would have allowed the company to build 28 homes on the site.

But Scottish Government ministers could not consider the application without a bat survey being submitted.

Picture: Kenny Smith. Up to 40 firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze in Inverkeithing.

Nathalie Black and her fiance, Jim McDonald, were greeted by a “wall of orange” after opening their front door as the blaze took hold.