Blazing mad as fire breaks out Ex-Hartwood Hospital is set alight
There was widespread anger directed at NHS Lanarkshire chiefs after a fire ripped through Hartwood Hospital.
Flames engulfed the former 19th century psychiatric hospital on Monday evening leaving residents furious at this alleged deliberate act of vandalism.
The blaze comes just over a year after another fire at Hartwood, which was started deliberately.
Hartwood resident Stuart McKay contacted Shotts MP Neil Gray within minutes of the fire starting on Monday evening and hit out at NHS Lanarkshire, and its chief executive Calum Campbell, for their handling of the incident at the former hospital.
Mr McKay said: “Hartwood Hospital is at present being attended to by five fire appliances. I hope and pray that all crew will be safe.
“Tonight we witnessed over 15 youths walk up to the hospital from the main gates. The police will no doubt say again that they cannot prove who started the fire. This has to stop.
“NHS Lanarkshire and Mr Campbell are a disgrace. They have ignored the voices of Hartwood residents again.
“They made promises at a meeting last year but it is clear that they were only paying lip service.
“Their lack of spending in security has only enabled these individuals in their antisocial behaviour in and around the hospital.
“We are asking you as our elected representative to pressure NHS Lanarkshire to spend more on security and provide 24- hour cover before someone is killed.”
Shotts councillor Tommy Cochrane hit out at the NHS Lanarkshire chief executive.
In a letter sent to Mr Campbell on Tuesday morning, obtained by the Wishaw Press, Councillor Cochrane said: “At present, and until the titled deeds change hands, these lands and buildings remain your responsibility, the property contains a grade C listed building, which both the community and I want to retain.
“If this has to be demolished due to this antisocial behaviour and fires, the community will hold you and your board responsible due to it being of local importance and is a land mark that can be seen for miles around.
“I will contact Historic Environment Scotland by telephone about more protection for this landmark.
“Could you please deal with this rather than delegating it down?
“This does have to stop and stop now before we have a fatality.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “At 9.41pm on Monday, July 17, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to reports of a fire within a derelict building near Hartwood Road, Shotts.
“A total of five appliances were immediately mobilised and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used high powered hoses to extinguish the flames.
“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
Sergeant Alex Pllu, from Wishaw Police Office’s Local Problem Solving Team, told the Wishaw Press that enquiries were ongoing regarding the blaze.
He added: “Officers would be working with partner agencies to bring together an action plan to prevent others carrying out this course of conduct.”
John Paterson, general manager of NHS Lanarkshire’s property and support services department, said: “Some smaller buildings on the site were affected by the fire, the cause of which is not yet known.
“We would appeal for anyone with information about the incident to contact Police Scotland.
“We share residents’ concerns about the current antisocial behaviour and damage to the Hartwood site and would ask that any incidents are reported immediately to the police.
“Security measures remain in place and our staff visit the site Monday to Friday to check for any damage to security fencing and arrange any necessary repairs.
“In addition, out of hours patrols are carried out overnight by a security contractor and at the weekend.
“Due to the increase in recent activity, we will contact Police Scotland to review the security arrangements to see what more can be reasonably done to deter a minority of people from unlawfully accessing the site.
“We will also meet jointly with residents, elected members and Police Scotland to discuss this.”