Fire breaks out at old East Lothian hospital as crews race to abandoned building

Firefighters battled a blaze at the old Edenhall Hospital.

Fire crews raced to a blaze at an abandoned East Lothian hospital yesterday evening.

Six pumping appliances were deployed to the old Edenhall Hospital in Musselburgh after a fire broke out within two buildings just after 6pm.

Firefighters battled the blaze until it was finally extinguished after midnight. Severe damage has been caused to the buildings, which have now been deemed unsafe.

The hospital was closed down in 2010 and has lain empty ever since.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were called at around 6:18pm to a fire at Edenhall Hospital.

“We had six pumps there. It was a fire inside the building and it was extinguished at 12.23am. We have left the scene.”

Police are appealing for information on the blaze.

Detective Constable Calum Cross of Dalkeith CID said: “This was a significant fire and thankfully no one was injured.

“Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and the cause of the fire, and we would ask anyone with information to contact us.

"We are aware of reports that a large group of youths were seen in the nearby area and are making enquiries to establish if they had any connection to the fire."

“I would also ask the public to avoid the area, as the buildings are very dangerous as a result of the fire.”

Anyone with details should call police on 101 quoting incident 3207 of 19 May, 2024.

They can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to make an anonymous report.