50 flee fire at flats in Leith

Apr 6 2008 By Nigel Duncan

FIFTY residents fled their homes last night as a 60ft crane threatened to smash into a block of flats after a fire at Easter Road.

The families were evacuated as the foundations of the huge structure buckled in an inferno at a nearby building site.

There were fears it could also fall on to a service railway track.

Fifty firefighters tackled the blaze at Albion Place, Edinburgh, which broke out as Hibs played St Mirren at the stadium next door.

Most fans had no idea about the fire until the final whistle blew on a 2-0 victory to Hibs.

Structural engineers from Edinburgh City Council were last night called to the site where new flats are being built as residents of nearby Albion Gardens were evacuated.

They were taken to the stadium until alternative accommodation could be found.

Resident Arek Lamdowski, a painter and decorator, said: "I was out for the day and came home to see this massive fire near my home. It was really frightening."

Richard Palmer, 60, who lives near the evacuated flats, said: "I came out of Easter Road and saw flames shooting 100ft into the air.

"It was a new development and the flats were nearly complete but now it is just a shell.

"When we were in the ground we didn't even hear the fire engines because of the noise of the crowd."

The Bellway homes development was one of three blocks on the site.

Fire crews were last night fighting to put out the blaze before the crane toppled over.

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh City Council said: "Residents have been evacuated. Most have gone to stay with relatives."

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Lothian Fire Brigade spokesman Tom Kerr said: "This is one of the biggest fires Edinburgh has seen for years."

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