Scots shop gutted by blaze as neighbours flee home in middle of the night

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A fire ripped through a charity shop in Edinburgh and destroyed the premises with neighbours forced to flee in the middle of the night.

Firefighters led local residents living above the shop to safety as smoke billowed out of the unit on Morningside Road shortly after 3am on Friday, January 12.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service scrambled four appliances to douse the flames which had engulfed the Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland charity store, reports Edinburgh Live.The fire service confirmed to a local councillor that there were no casualties and everyone involved is now safe and well.Images show how the interior of the much-beloved boutique has been gutted by the inferno.Scorch marks can be seen outside the shop, crawling up the building, while shattered glass is scattered across the entrance to the store.Marie-Claire Munro, a local councillor for Morningside, said that losing the charity shop will be extremely painful for the community.She said: "I am pleased local residents were not injured and have been told by detectives that they are all safe and well."Many residents will be shocked as the Chest, Heart & Stroke shop is very popular in my area.

I am glad that no one was injured. I am thankful to the fire brigade and emergency services who dealt with the blaze quickly."A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We received reports of a fire on Morningside Road in Edinburgh this morning at 3:09am.