A teenager has been arrested over a fire at a former primary school in Perth. An eyewitness described seeing a "tornado of fire and smoke" at the old Balhousie Primary School building on Muirton Place shortly after midnight on Sunday. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) dispatched six crews and two height appliances to the scene, with firefighters continuing to battle back the blaze into the early hours. An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with wilful fire-raising. Two crews and a height appliance remain on the scene on Sunday morning to carry out dampening down work, the SFRS said. There were not thought to be any casualties, but a number of properties were evacuated as a precaution, Police Scotland said. One eyewitness told BBC Scotland News: "I drove past at about 01:30 and the roof had collapsed. "There was a full fire-smoke tornado engulfing the building. "The flames began to subside about an hour later and the red glow was almost completely gone by about 03:30." She added staff at a local garage had provided coffee and water to emergency responders, while a nearby branch of McDonald's had handed out food. Dunkeld Road, Balhousie Street and Muirton Place were closed off and drivers and pedestrians have been warned to avoid the area. Nearby residents were warned to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke coming from the scene. Balhousie Primary School was closed in 2023 when pupils were moved to the new Riverside Primary. It is the second major fire to hit a building in the city in the space of a week after a tenement on the corner of South Street and Scott Street was destroyed last Saturday. A man died and an eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital, whilePerth and Kinross Council said the building would have to be completely demolisheddue to the damage.
Teenager arrested over fire at former primary school
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Teenager Arrested in Connection with Fire at Former Balhousie Primary School"
Bbc News
7.7
TruthLens AI Summary
A teenager has been arrested in connection with a significant fire incident that occurred at the former Balhousie Primary School in Perth. The blaze erupted shortly after midnight on Sunday, prompting a swift response from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), which deployed six fire crews and two height appliances to combat the flames. Eyewitness accounts described a dramatic scene, with one individual noting a 'tornado of fire and smoke' engulfing the building. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, although several nearby properties were evacuated as a safety measure. As the fire raged, firefighters worked tirelessly, and by the early morning hours, they were engaged in dampening down operations to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
The former primary school had been closed earlier in 2023 when students transitioned to the new Riverside Primary School. The fire at Balhousie Primary marks the second major fire incident in Perth within a week, following the destruction of a tenement building on South Street, which resulted in a tragic loss of life and injuries. In the wake of the fire at the school, local residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke, and several roads in the vicinity, including Dunkeld Road and Muirton Place, were closed to the public. Community members demonstrated solidarity, with local businesses providing refreshments to emergency responders. The investigation into the cause of the fire continues, as authorities work to understand the circumstances surrounding this alarming event.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.