PROBE INTO GARAGE BLAZE

Police have appealed for witnesses after a garage on an Airdrie street was set alight.

residents on hillrigg Avenue in Clarkston were woken early on sunday morning by the fire, with one saying:“the people in the nearest houses were lucky to get out when they did.”

officers said:“this was a deliberate act that could have caused harm.”

they are looking for help to trace two men seen in the area around the time of the fire.

Police in Airdrie are asking for help after a garage in Clarkston was torched and completely destroyed.

The incident happened just before 5am on Sunday, when the garage next to a house on Hillrigg Avenue was deliberately set on fire.

A number of nearby properties were evacuated as a precaution, with two fire crews racing to extinguish the blaze.

Now investigating officers are asking for help in tracing two men seen in the area around the time of the incident.

DC Katy Goldie said:“fortunately no one was injured, but this was a deliberate act that could have caused harm.

“We are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious around the time of the incident to get in touch, including anyone who may have been driving in the area and has dash-cam, or anyone with private CCTV that could help with our investigation.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said:“we were alerted at 4.53am to reports of a garage on fire at Hillrigg Avenue, Airdrie.

“Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene; on arrival, firefighters extinguished the fire, which also affected the exterior of an adjacent two-storey‘four in a block’flatted property.

“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe and there were no reported casualties.”

The two men of interest to police are described as both being of slim build, about 5ft 9in, one wearing high-visibility clothing and the other dark clothing.

Anyone with any information in relation to the incident should call police on 101.

Information can also be left anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Reduced to ashes The garage on Hillrigg Avenue was completely destroyed