Scots residents have been left fuming as reckless firebugs ‘continuously’ target an old car factory which is “putting lives at risk.”
Wishing to remain anonymous, one Edinburgh local hit out at the perpetrators who keep setting fires at the former Madelvic car plant site on Waterfront Avenue.
The area has been plagued by bonfires and the latest video shared with Edinburgh Live captured on September 29 at around 7.30am, shows the aftermath of two blazes which were extinguished by firefighters. It is currently unconfirmed if they were started deliberately.
One resident said: “This has been ongoing for the last four years now, with fires almost every day. Putting our lives at risk as we live right across the road from where they are being lit.
“All it will take is one spark to land on our building. This morning we couldn’t open doors or windows or walk our dogs safely outside as the smoke was everywhere through the area and people were choking from the smoke.
“The fire brigade was called out to two huge bonfires. The fires were still burning this morning at 7am.”
“The bonfires were huge this morning. I have today reported the issue to Police Scotland as last week, the transponder box behind the substation at the factory site was set alight and our power was off for 11 hours as a result.”
They continued: “This situation is getting out of control. I believe local lives are being put at risk from these regular fires.
“So we need to raise awareness so something is done to prevent fire-raising in the area, and stop the risk of our homes going up in flames as a result of the fires.”
Another video shared by the same resident showed thick smoke billowing into the air on August 31. They have called for action to be taken to tackle the firebugs causing chaos in the Granton area.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 7.29am of reports of a fire in the Waterfront Avenue area of the capital.
“One pump appliance was mobilised to a small fire in the open. Upon arrival, a quantity of fires were found alight. They were extinguished and firefighters left the scene at 8.33am.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond.Sign up to our daily newsletter.