Princes Street fire: Another landmark lost as devastating fire destroys historic building
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A historic building in Edinburgh city centre has been lost to fire
A devastating blaze which ripped through a building on Edinburgh’s Princes Street has wiped out 150 years of history and left devastation in its wake.
Emergency services descended on the major thoroughfare at around 3am yesterday, after orange flames engulfed the B-listed block at 109-111 Princes Street, which housed Debenhams until it ceased trading in 2021, and sent black smoke billowing over the Capital’s famous skyline.
Around 50 firefighters, six fire appliances, two high reach appliances and additional specialist resources were sent to battle the blaze, with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) only having confirmed it had been extinguished at 5pm - 14 hours after the flames took hold.
The incident brought chaos to the city centre - 10 people were evacuated from a property in Rose Street South Lane, members of the public were urged to stay away from the area and those using public transport faced severe disruption.
The loss of another of Edinburgh’s - and Scotland’s - famous buildings to fire was described left many in the city devastated.
Mike Finlayson, the former director of the Debenhams store, described the loss of the historic structure as “a tragedy” as he called for buildings in the city to be protected.
“I was deeply saddened to see images of the fire at the former Debenhams store, with flames erupting from what used to be my office overlooking the castle,” he said.
“The building contained a number of protected features, including the grand staircase, a magnificent stained glass window, and the Gladstone Memorial Library. It is a tragedy to consider that these architectural treasures have likely been lost.
“Given that this is the second fire at this location, one must ask if more rigorous care should have been taken to protect such a significant piece of the city’s heritage.”
Resident Graham Reed, 59, added: “It’s an iconic building, and it’s such a shame that yet another one’s gone up in flames on Princes Street.
“It’s just a shame to see it because we lost a couple, there was one down in Jenners as well that went up in flames a few years back.”
Speaking at the scene yesterday afternoon, SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Willie Pollard called the incident “complex and challenging" as he commended firefighters and staff for their efforts in battling the blaze.
He added: "Crews worked in demanding conditions to bring the fire under control and successfully contain it to the affected building, which was undergoing construction works and has suffered extensive damage.
"Their actions helped prevent the spread of fire to neighbouring buildings and significantly reduced the wider impact of this incident.”
He said firefighters will remain onsite for “quite a considerable time” as they continue to dampen hotspots and “support recovery operations alongside our multi-agency partners”.
The fire service alongside Police Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council are continuing to assess the stability of the affected building and any ongoing impact on the local area.
In their own update yesterday afternoon, Police Scotland said that there were no reported injuries and that a joint investigation is ongoing to establish the cause of the fire. SFRS confirmed the preliminary investigation but said that they “cannot speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident”.
It was also confirmed that police and fire officers had not yet accessed the building after it was deemed “not safe to enter”.
City of Edinburgh Council leader Jane Meagher thanked emergency services for their swift response in stopping the fire from spreading and said that efforts will be made to “fully assess the condition of the building”.
She said: “I’m relieved to hear that nobody has been hurt, and grateful for the swift response of the emergency services – who prevented this devastating fire becoming far worse.
“Once the area has been made safe, we will fully assess the condition of the building and consider next steps.
“I hope that local residents who were evacuated during the night will be able to return home soon.
“I’d urge people to continue to avoid the area for the time being, plan for ongoing disruption and follow all advice from the emergency services and transport operators.”
The building is owned by Criterion Capital, which submitted plans to transform it into a 328-room Zedwell hotel.
A spokesman for the company said: “In respect of the fire at the former Debenhams building on Princes Street, Edinburgh, in the early hours of this morning, our immediate priority is the safety of everyone involved.
“There have been no reported injuries, and we are very grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and professionalism.
“This building is an important and historic part of Edinburgh’s city centre, and we continue to liaise with the emergency services and relevant authorities.”