An American living in Edinburgh was left scratching his head after witnessing a man wielding what appears to be a ‘flamethrower’ on a city street. The TikToker, who goes by the name Ed_in_burgh, moved from Los Angeles to Scotland’s capital in 2023.
He has since been sharing his experiences of life in the city on the video app. And one recent interaction left him baffled by capital’s leaf blowing protocols.
In the clip shared online earlier this week, Ed expressed his confusion about the work being carried out, saying that anything seems possible in “this crazy country of Scotland”, reports Edinburgh Live.
The footage shows a man in high-vis gear, thought to be a council worker, using a hand-held device resembling a “flamethrower”. With a significant amount of foliage littered around following Storm Ashley, Ed speculated that the tool might be used as an unconventional leaf blower.
He commented: “Edinburgh council workmen were using some type of flamethrower to either clear leaves from the recent storm or to soften asphalt for some type of road work, either is plausible in this crazy country of Scotland.”
While many viewers suggested it was likely for road repairs, others offered their own whimsical explanations.
One person suggested: “I can only imagine they use them to dry the leaves, making it easier to blow them?” Another joked: “That guy is looking to work longer – not harder.” A third quipped about their own domestic chores, saying: “That’s like me when I tell the kids I’m doing a spot of gardening!”
Other TikTok users thought the device was being used on the road, rather than the leaves. One commented: “Is it not to prepare the surface for paint?” And another added: “Prepping the road for new line marking.”
The Daily Record has approached Edinburgh City Council for comment.
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