Firefighters tackle blaze after explosion near primary school in Edinburgh

10 September 2019, 19:24

More than 40 firefighters have been dealing with reports of an explosion near a school in Edinburgh.

The incident in the Fountainbridge area, near to Tollcross Primary, was reported shortly before 5pm on Tuesday.

Road closures were put in place at Lochrin Terrace, Ponton Street, West Tollcross and through to Gardner's Crescent.

Bricks from the tenement building appeared to have been blasted from the outer walls in the explosion.

Rubble was left scattered on the ground and social media posts showed large plumes of smoke and fire coming from the window.

Police, ambulance and fire services were all in attendance.

Calum Brown, from Dalgety Bay in Fife, works opposite the scene and said he felt the "glass office" shake.

The 23-year-old recruitment worker said: "I heard a bang then looked around and there was just dust rising from the ground.

"You could see smoke pouring from the chimney - I got there just before the first fire engine - you could see flames coming out of the window.

"Bricks were missing from the tenement building and had landed on the street.

"It was lucky that no-one was underneath at the time."