Debenhams blaze sparks gas blast fear

ONE of Scotland’s busiest shopping streets was shut yesterday as a major fire broke out in a department store.

The blaze started around 1.20pm on the ground floor of Debenhams on Edinburgh’s Princes Street, prompting nearby businesses to evacuate.

There were no reports of any injuries, but ambulances were called on standby. A shop worker from the next-door Boots said the large police cordon was due to fears the building could blow.

He said: ‘The building is gas controlled so they are worried about a blast, but there are no casualties as the building was empty.’

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: ‘More than 30 firefighters are working to extinguish a large fire at the Debenhams building on Princes Street, Edinburgh. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 1.23pm [yesterday] to reports of a fire on the ground floor of the building.

‘Crews remain on the scene and are expected to do so for some time as they work to make the area safe.’

Police remained on site yesterday afternoon diverting pedestrians and evacuating the nearby Princes Street Gardens.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances.’