Three youths have been charged in connection with a blaze at a Scots energy firm’s Lanarkshire base which forced the company to suspend operations after losing £60,000 worth of stock.
A storage unit at Energy Pig’s home office in East Kilbride’s Scottish Enterprise Technology Park went up in flames on Tuesday night.
Multiple fire crews raced to the scene on Bramah Avenue at around 5.45pm as a huge inferno ripped through the unit.
The blaze gutted the container which had more than £60,000 worth of stock inside, including heat pumps, solar panels, inverters, boilers, radiators, pipe and fittings, insulation boards, loft wool and specialist tools and equipment.
There were no injuries as a result of the fire.
Police have confirmed today that a 14-year-old girl and two boys, aged 11 and 12, have been charged in connection with the incident.
Managing director at Energy Pig, David Macneill, told Lanarkshire Live it was “alarming” how close the fire came to tragedy.
He said: “This fire has resulted in a stock loss exceeding £60,000. As a consequence, we have had to suspend our operations while we seek to restock and find new storage facilities.
“I’m thankful that no one was injured, but it’s alarming how close this came to a tragic outcome.
“We employ over 80 staff across Glasgow to assist individuals living in fuel poverty and vulnerable households, and this incident will have a significant impact on our customers and the East Kilbride community.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 5.44pm on Tuesday, November 26, to reports of outdoor equipment on fire at a storage unit at Kelvin Road, The Murray, East Kilbride.
“Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting a large industrial unit which had spread to a shipping container.
“There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5.45pm on Tuesday, November 26, we were made aware of a fire in the Bramah Avenue area of East Kilbride.
“Officers attended, along with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and the fire was extinguished. There were no injuries.
“A 14-year-old female youth, and two male youths, aged 12 and 11, were charged in connection with the incident and will be reported to the relevant authorities.”
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