Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Damage wreaked by huge city blaze
THESE pictures reveal the devastation caused by a huge fire that engulfed a warehouse.
The blaze, at the former Wood Group facility in the Baldovie Industrial Estate, could be seen for miles around due to the huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.
The building, which was storing carpets and other equipment for firm Carpet Reclaim, went up in smoke last Sunday and firefighters battled through the night.
Crowds gathered to watch, with people as far away as Fife also saying they could see the smoke.
The lasting effects from the fire were still being experienced several days later with thick smoke in the air and surrounding roads closed.
Latest pictures show the building has been completely destroyed, with piles of charred wood, metals and carpets as well as a burned-out flatbed truck and forklift, all that remain.
Emran Amin, owner of the building, estimated the cost of the blaze amounted to about £1.25 million.
A joint investigation by the police and fire service is still under way into the cause, though it has been speculated by the owner and locals that it was started deliberately.
Meanwhile after days of rumours, NHS Tayside confirmed asbestos had been in the roof and, though warning people with health problems to stay indoors, said the risk was negligible.
The health board said in a statement on Facebook on Tuesday: “The risk to human health from large fires involving asbestos is negligible.
“The ongoing risk to the health of the local population and those in the vicinity at the time is extremely low.”
However, this assessment has since been questioned by an asbestos expert, who has claimed the risk could be much higher. Phillip Gower, a specialist asbestos disease solicitor, said there is evidence fires similar to the one which occurred at Baldovie have caused serious illness.
Locals also criticised the health board’s response, with some arguing they should have been told sooner and more directly.