Edinburgh fire: Firefighter fighting for their life after Jenners building set ablaze
A firefighter is fighting for their life after working on a huge blaze in Edinburgh city centre.
Five firefighters were hurt during the blaze at the landmark former department store in the Scottish capital, which crews were called to at 11.29am on Monday.
Ross Haggart, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s interim chief officer, said: “The fire at the Jenners building in Edinburgh is a very serious and complex incident and regrettably I can confirm that five of our colleagues have been taken to hospital for treatment and one remains in a critical condition.”
Video tweeted by STV reporter Laura Alderman show a huge emergency services presence in Edinburgh city centre
During the height of the fire people had to be evacuated from the surrounding buildings.
Nearby Marks & Spencer and the Mercure Hotel, on Princes Street, were closed as firefighters tackled the flames.
The old department store, founded in 1838, was “well alight” when 10 fire crews arrived at the scene.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were alerted at 11.29am on Monday January 23 to reports of a building fire at Rose Street, Edinburgh.“
"A further eight appliances, including a high reach, were mobilised and crews remain on scene as they work to extinguish the fire."
The service later said a total of 22 appliances and other specialist resources were sent to the scene.
One person said: "I work at one of the businesses nearby and I nipped out for lunch and tried to get in but we have been evacuated.
“I was aware of the sirens and it was one of my team that said Jenners was on fire.
“The building’s beautiful. It’s such a beautiful piece of architecture, it’s such a shame, especially with it shutting down and lying kind of empty.”
Having seen the start of the blaze from Princes Street, Alan Potts, 64, said: “Obviously the tour buses go up this street, and we thought the fire was originally in Sainsbury’s the shop, but it was Jenners which they’re working in.“
"There was about five or six fire engines all appeared at the same time.
"There was just heavy smoke, I didn’t see any flames at any point.
“Lots of ambulances about which makes us think there might have been someone inside but never saw anyone coming out.”
The Jenners building was one of the oldest department stores in the world when it closed in 2021.
The A-listed current building dates to 1895, after another fire destroyed the original.
The hotel is currently being transformed into a hotel, which is being funded by a firm owned by fashion billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen.
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