The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Fear fireraising will cost lives
PERTH: Hunt for yobs amid concern store fires will see ‘fatality’
Firebugs who are repeatedly targeting a deserted store at a Perth retail park are putting lives at risk.
Emergency services have twice been called to the vacant B&Q building on the edge of the city centre.
The blazes, which are being treated as suspicious, forced shoppers to flee a neighbouring property. Police are hunting for two teenagers seen near the outlet.
Perth city centre councillor Archie MacLellan called for assurances that the building will be secured to avoid further break-ins. “If no action is taken, there could be a fatality,” he said.
Police are searching for two teenagers after a series of suspicious blazes at a Perth retail park.
Emergency crews were called to tackle a fire at the old B&Q building at St Catherine’s on Saturday night.
Firefighters found piles of rubbish ablaze inside the deserted unit.
It took about an hour to bring the fire under control.
Crews were called out again at around 1.30pm on Monday after more waste was set on fire inside the same building.
Police Scotland have now appealed for witnesses after two young men were reportedly seen in the area around the time of Monday’s fire.
A spokeswoman said: “Officers are keen to trace two youths aged 15 to 16 years of age.
“One is described as 5ft 8in tall and was wearing a yellow North Face jacket with the hood up and grey tracksuit bottoms. The other is 5ft 6in tall, wearing a navy North Face jacket and grey tracksuit bottoms.”
The fire was contained inside the vacant building, but neighbouring PC World was forced to close amid fears shoppers and staff could suffer smoke inhalation.
Regional manager Stuart Doherty said: “Following the incident at St Catherine’s Retail Park on Monday, PC World is now open for business with no damage done to the site.
“Firefighters advised the store to close at midday when the incident occurred, to protect customers from smoke inhalation, due to the empty unit next door catching fire. Customers are now safe to visit the PC World site.”
Perth city centre councillor Archie MacLellan said: “What they are doing is highly dangerous.
“They are not only putting their own lives in danger, but the lives of everyone nearby – including the firefighters.”
He has called for assurances that the building will be secured to avoid further break-ins.
“If no action is taken, there could be a fatality,” he said.
B&Q moved out of St Catherine’s 10 years ago.
Until recently the old building was used by the charity Computers 4 Africa.
The group collected old computers and other electronic equipment and shipped them out to schools and colleges in some of the poorest parts of the world.
Anyone with information about the fires is urged to call police on 101 or freephone Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.
What they are doing is highly dangerous. They are not only putting their own lives in danger, but the lives of everyone nearby – including the firefighters. COUNCILLOR ARCHIE MACLELLAN