Four people were plucked to safety by firefighters from the roof of a block of flats in Perth in the early hours of Monday.
The three men and one woman had sought refuge on the roof to escape smoke from a fire in the stairwell of the flats, which are tucked behind the High Street, just up from St Paul’s Church.
A total of 14 firefighters, as well as police and ambulance vehicles, attended at the scene.
The firefighters used a ladder to rescue the quartet and two were taken to hospital for a check-up but were not detained.
For several hours after the incident, the High Street was closed off from New Row to South Methven Street, with pedestrians and vehicles required to take a diversion away from the scene.
Accessed via a pend at 236 High Street, the entrance to the courtyard was also blocked off on by police officers on Monday while an investigation into the fire was carried out.
They remained at the scene for much of the day while forensic officers examined the seat of the fire and the police interviewed occupants of the flats.
It is understood police have not ruled out the possibility that the cause of the fire was suspicious. Police confirmed that an examination of the circumstances of the fire was being carried out.
“Inquiries into the full set of circumstances are ongoing and a joint investigation is being carried out with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service,” said a spokesperson.
A spokesman for the fire service explained their involvement, saying: “The fire, which was reported at around 5.21am, was extinguished by firefighters in breathing apparatus using one main jet and one hosereel jet.
“Four people were removed from the roof by firefighters using a 9m ladder and were not seriously injured. Two of them were taken to Perth Royal Infirmary for treatment but later released.
“Crews used a PPV fan to ventilate the property and a thermal imaging camera to check the roof space for evidence of further fire spread. Three appliances from the Perth station attended the incident.”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Two people were rushed by paramedics to Perth Royal Infirmary with smoke-related conditions.
“We received the call at 5.26am from Tayside Fire Service.
We sent two A&E crews and deployed a special preparation team.
“We took two patients to Perth Royal Infirmary and cleared from the incident at 6.14am.”