Watch as fire fighters continue to tackle blaze that saw 100 Bonnington residents evacuated from their homes

More than 100 Edinburgh residents have been evacuated from their homes after a fire broke out in a block of flats in the early hours of the morning. 

Shortly after 4am, emergency services were called to reports of a fire in Breadalbane Street in the north of the city. All residents were evacuated safely and the Scottish Ambulance Service advised “no one was required to be taken to hospital.”

Video footage taken from the scene shows firefighters working from cherry pickers to tackle the blaze as smoke billows from the building. One video shared with the Evening News shows the tower block fire from over a mile away.

Fire crews continue to arrive on site and it is understood that around 70 firefighters and 12 fire engines remain at the scene. Two firefighters have sustained minor superficial injuries and have been assessed at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Andy Girrity of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fire is contained and firefighting operations remain ongoing to bring this incident to a safe conclusion. This has been a complex incident which involved the evacuation of a large number of people.

“Our crews have worked tirelessly to contain this fire and prevent further spread within the building. There is a large-scale emergency service presence and we will remain on the scene for a considerable time."

Mr Girrity added: “I would strongly advise members of the public to avoid the area.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are in attendance at a fire at a block of flats in Breadalbane Road in Edinburgh. Emergency services were called to the scene around 4.35am on Thursday, 14 March, 2024." They added: "Approximately 100 local residents have been evacuated and a police cordon is in place."

Reacting to the news, council leader Cammy Day thanked the emergency services for “their ongoing swift response.”

Councillor Day said: “Thankfully everyone has been evacuated to safety but this is a large-scale fire which is affecting as many as 100 residents.

“We have Council and Health and Social Care officers on the scene to support residents with a rest centre set up at the nearby Leith Community Centre. Our roads team has put a small closure in place on Breadalbane Street and we’ll continue to support all agencies and the local community and explore temporary accommodation should it be required.”