Crews from all over Tayside have been called into action to tackle a fire at premises belonging to a famed fishmonger.
A cordon was quickly put around the George Campbell & Sons Keracher’s factory and smokehouse by central Perth after the blaze was reported shortly before 8.45am on Sunday.
The fire and rescue command support unit from the Kingsway in Dundee quickly joined tenders from Perth, Coupar Angus and Dunkeld at the scene.
An aerial platform and heavy rescue unit were deployed as crews tackled the flames, which had rapidly spread to engulf an area spanning 30 by 100 metres.
Thankfully, there was nobody in the factory at the time and there were no reports of any injuries.
A fire and rescue spokesman described the factory as being “well alight” when crews arrived.
Firefighters battled the blaze for over 90 minutes and and stayed at the scene for some time afterward, damping down hot spots and making the premises safe.
Contracts manager Craig Shannon works on Whitefriars Street, adjacent to Keracher’s, and saw the drama unfold.
He said, “I looked out of the window and could see smoke coming out of one of the units so I headed outside.
“Black smoke was belching out and loads of appliances arrived at the scene.”
He added, “It was quite an impressive turnout certainly not what you expect on an otherwise quiet Sunday morning.
“Luckily I don’t think there was anybody actually in the building at the time and there was no sign of anybody having been injured.”
The extent of the damage was assessed and an investigation into the cause of the blaze was launched.
Keracher’s specialises in the processing, smoking and distribution of Scottish salmon.
Founded in Edinburgh in 1872, George Campbell & Sons has shops in the capital as well as in Perth and St Andrews.
Fish from markets all over Scotland is transported to the premises in Whitefriars Street, where it is prepared and smoked prior to being distributed throughout the area.