Police have taped off a residential street after forcing entry to a home in West Lothian.
Officers rushed to Harburn Drive in West Calder after the alarm was raised at around 4pm on Monday.
Shocked locals say firefighters gained entry to a property close to Parkhead Primary School before police cordoned off an area of the street. Residents said police described the incident as “serious” and they were unable to access parts of the scheme after tape was placed around a residential property and garden.
Local resident Marlyn Williamson told Edinburgh Live: “At just after 4pm I noticed the fire brigade with lights on from the front door and thought it was maybe a false alarm being raised. I then heard more police sirens, so I went over to see if there was any fire, but then saw all the police on the scene and more arrived.
“I noticed a house and back garden and part of the street were all taped off by police and they have since tapped off higher up the car park at about 5.30pm. I believe firefighters had to break down a door. No one as I’m aware has been asked to leave or stay in their house. When police were asked what was going on, they just said it was a serious incident.”
Pictures taken from the scene on Tuesday morning showed a large forensic tent placed in the garden of a property on the street. Uniformed officers were also seen standing guard at the large cordon.
Meanwhile, a video taken from the scene on Monday showed several areas of the scheme taped off, including a close, with several police vehicles littered throughout the area. A fire engine was also visible in the clip. The exact nature of the incident is currently unclear but Police Scotland have been asked by the Record for comment.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are understood to have been in attendance to support police. A spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 4.05pm on Monday, January 20, to support emergency service partners on Harburn Drive, West Calder. Operations Control mobilised one appliance to the scene and crews gained entry to a dwelling house. Crews left the scene at 5.03pm.”
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