Over 60 firefighters battle blaze at Edinburgh caravan site which spread to four homes

More than 60 firefighters battled a blaze at an Edinburgh caravan site which lasted nearly eight hours and spread to four homes.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said 13 fire engines were called to tackle the fire at the end of Burndene Drive, close to the Burger King at Straiton Retail Park on Tuesday.

The SFRS spokesperson said the fire started in a shed on the site at about 1:30pm and crews left the scene by 9pm, with no reports of any casualties.

The spokesperson confirmed that gas cylinders were present outside the "static" homes and that this added to the challenge. Eye-witness Lee Simpson told the Evening News on Tuesday that part of the site was sealed off because of the cylinders.

Black smoke billowed up above the fire at the caravan site in Straiton, Edinburgh.

Mr Simpson said that the fire could spread easily because there is only about 5ft between each property in this part of the site.

He also said that it appeared firefighters were struggling to contain the fire earlier in the afternoon and that no hydrant – a port to connect a hose to the water mains – was available on the unserviced site.

Pictures from the scene show firefighters using hose reel jets to extinguish the flames inside one of the homes.

Mr Simpson also said police were in attendance but neither SFRS or police have been able to provide any details on how the fire started.