George IV Fire LIVE: Emergency services attend fire in the Edinburgh Old Town as smoke pours out near iconic Elephant House Cafe
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Follow here for all updates on a major fire in Edinburgh city centre.
A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.
George IV Bridge Fire LIVE: Emergency services attend fire in Edinburgh Old Town
‘Well over’ 100 firefighters battle huge blaze on George IV Bridge
Fire crews are still battling a huge blaze in buildings on Edinburgh’s George IV Bridge, with “well over” 100 firefighters tackling the smoke and flames throughout the day.
Watch dramatic video footage as fire in the heart of Edinburgh's historic Old Town brings the city to a standstill
Dramatic footage has emerged of the blaze in the heart of Edinburgh's historic Old Town that brought the city to a standstill earlier today.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Council teams are working closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, along with Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service, to respond to the fire on George IV Bridge and to minimise any disruption.
“Roads officers have put a safety cordon around the affected areas and necessary road closures while, unfortunately, we have had to close the Central Library.
“Our Resilience Team are also continuing to liaise with the relevant agencies and Shared Repairs officers are on site to offer structural engineering advice.”
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has thanked the emergency services for tackling George IV Bridge fire.
Andrew McRae, FSB’s policy chair and business owner in this part of the Capital, said: “On behalf of local firms in Edinburgh’s Old Town, I want to extend my thanks to the emergency services who have been working hard since the early hours of this morning.
“It is the hope of all Edinburgh locals that no-one has been seriously hurt in this dreadful incident.
“While it is too early to talk to the business impact of the fire, FSB stands ready to work with local firms and government at all levels to get this historic area back on its feet.
“It has been a hard 18 months for many Edinburgh businesses and today’s fire will make recovery that much harder.”
Our reporter on the scene has been told that it will be a few hours still before the emergency services are confident the area is safe. The fire is still burning, though work is well underway to get it under control.
There are thought to be no one else requiring medical attention, apart from the one person already taken to the hospital by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Heritage and Retro Reporter for the Edinburgh Evening News , David McLean with a bit of history on the building on George IV Bridge.
The historical value of the area affected by the George IV Bridge fire is incalculable.
Named following King George IV’s famous 1822 visit to the city, George IV Bridge itself was built by Thomas Hamilton under the 1827 Improvement Act.
Creating a prominent south approach to the city centre over the ancient Cowgate, the bridge is festooned on either side with an array of elegant B-listed buildings, mostly dating from the early part of Queen Victoria’s reign.
Contained within the fire-ravaged block on the western side of the bridge is the former Elim Pentecostal Church, now Frankenstein’s Pub.
Decorated in the gothic style, the former church is a unique piece of architecture built in 1859.
Candlemaker Row has long been associated with open flames, having been named circa 1650 after the candlemakers who were forced to settle there.
The oldest buildings on its famous incline towards the main entrance of Greyfriars Kirkyard date from the early 18th century.
Speaking to the Herald the Elephant House’s owner David Taylor said; “ At the moment we know nothing but there will certainly be smoke and water damage so we will have to close though I dont know for how long.”
They added that it is thought that the floors of the adjacent coffee shop have collapsed.
Scottish Fire and Rescue have said that this is a level four fire - and ask that people follow Police Scotland guidelines.
Another resident has spoken to our reporter Beth Murray who said that they believed the fire started in the Elephant House Cafe.
Our flat is underneath and to the right [of the Elephant House.]
The flat is not on fire but very smokey.
The firefighters are inside, I don’t know exactly what they’re doing but they’re inside.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.