Police are treating a fire at a deserted hospital building in Paisley as deliberate amid public concern about the 'incredibly scary' incident at the weekend. Emergency crews were called to the former Royal Alexandra Infirmary (RAI) on Calside shortly after 4pm on Sunday after a blaze erupted at the property.
Firefighters subsequently brought it under control, with no injuries reported, but an investigation has been launched in a bid to get to the bottom of it. Eyewitness Eddie Devine, a councillor for Paisley Southeast, confirmed he has already been inundated with messages from worried neighbours.
Councillor's Concerns
'The firefighters were brilliant, they were all over it. But it's deeply concerning that this has happened and I'm furious that the people that live near there have to go through this,' Devine said. 'It's incredibly scary when you see flames like that coming through a roof so close to where you live. This cannot go on, they should not have to live in fear of something like this happening. It's not acceptable.'
The B-listed heritage treasure between Calside and Neilston Road, which was ravaged by a fire in 2022, has been a long-running source of anguish for nearby residents after becoming a target for vandals and ghost hunters. But it appeared to have landed a major lifeline in May 2024 when the relevant permissions were granted for a multi-million-pound redevelopment of the site.
Redevelopment Plans
The former RAI and its grounds were earmarked for transformation into flats under the plans approved by Renfrewshire Council. However, it remains to be seen whether that vision will come to fruition. When contacted on Monday, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: 'We were alerted at 4.02pm on Sunday, June 28, to reports of a building fire on Calside, Paisley. Operations Control mobilised four appliances and specialist resources to the scene and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting the second floor of a derelict building. There are no reported casualties and crews left at 9.52pm after ensuring the area was made safe.'
A Police Scotland spokesperson added: 'Calside at the junction of Neilston Road in Paisley has since reopened following a fire. Around 4.55pm on Sunday, June 28, emergency services were called to a disused building in the Calside area. The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. There were no injuries. The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.'
