Building fire ‘may have been deliberately set’

A building has partially collapsed after a fire broke out in a village which police said may have been deliberately set.

Emergency services were called to a disturbance and fire at a disused commercial property in Hall Street, New Stevenston, North Lanark- shire, on Tuesday evening. Police later received a report of a man who presented himself at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie suffering from burn injuries.

Officers have confirmed the incidents are linked. The man remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

The fire service attended the building with a number of appliances and used highpower hoses to extinguish the fire.

A thorough search of the area was undertaken by specialist units to find any injured people, but no-one was found.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Around 11:40pm on Tuesday 4 July, police were called to a report of a disturbance and a fire at a disused property in Hall Street, New Stevenston. Initial inquiries indicate that the fire may have been deliberately set.

“Emergency services attended and the road was closed as a precaution due to the unsafe building.”

He added: “Officers are continuing inquiries and can confirm that both incidents are linked.”