The huge fire that destroyed a historic building on Edinburgh's Princes Street shows the fire service 'can't face any more cuts,' the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has warned. Emergency services were called to the former Debenhams building at 2:52 am on Thursday. Firefighters remained at the scene for hours dampening down hotspots after largely extinguishing the blaze.
Building Destroyed, No Injuries Reported
The roof and top floors of the disused B-listed building have been destroyed, with the rest of the structure left blackened and charred inside. Despite the severity, there were no reports of injuries. Seven fire engines and three specialist appliances attended at the height of the incident. Large parts of Princes Street remain cordoned off, causing traffic disruption.
Union Warns of Cuts Impact
Gus Sproul, Scottish regional chairman of the FBU, said the fire highlights the importance of local fire stations. Among the crews responding were firefighters from Marionville station, which was retained after a campaign to save it. Sproul stated: 'It shows that we need an appropriate weight of response to deal with these fires effectively and if we see further cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, we’ll not be able to do that.'
Sproul noted that 1,250 firefighter jobs have been lost in the last 13 years, including 166 posts cut just three years ago. 'The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service can’t face any more cuts and we need a sustained package of funding from the Scottish Government,' he added.
Challenges of Older Buildings
Similar to a recent fire near Glasgow Central Station, Sproul said the age of the Princes Street building posed extra risks. Older buildings like the former Debenhams site present challenges, and longer exposure to potentially carcinogenic fumes from the fire is a concern for crews.
Sproul also referenced the death of firefighter Barry Martin, who was fatally injured while attending a fire on Princes Street in 2023 at the former Jenners building. 'It’s a very, very dangerous job that we do and we need the Scottish Government to commit to sustainable funding so we can prevent these kind of things happening in the future,' he said.
Fire Under Control, Investigation Underway
Deputy assistant chief officer Willie Pollard of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the fire is 'well under control' but firefighters will remain on Princes Street for 'quite a considerable time.' He advised nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed. An investigation involving Police Scotland has been underway throughout the day.
