Edinburgh police consider if latest house fire is linked to recent ‘gang attacks’

At around 1.45am, fire crews rushed to the blaze in Pitcairn Grove in the Craiglockhart area of the city. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) reported no causalities and fire crews left the scene at 3am on Thursday, April 17.

Images taken from the scene later in the day reveal the charred remains of the front door at the property. A video shared online appears to show two men dressed in black and wearing masks setting fire to the door before leaving the scene.

Police

Police said the fire is ‘being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing’ and it is understood that officers are considering if the incident could be related to recent ‘gang attacks’ across the city which have seen the discharge of firearms and other fire-raising incidents.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a fire at a property on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh shortly after 2am on Thursday, April 17. The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and no one was injured.”

A SFRS spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 1.46am on Thursday, 17 April, to reports of a dwelling fire on Pitcairn Grove, Edinburgh. Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and specialist resources to the scene where firefighters worked to extinguish a fire affecting a two-storey property.

“There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene at 2.57am after ensuring the area was made safe.”