A shopkeeper has described a “chaotic” fire that has destroyed the roof of a tenement building in Dundee and left his store closed.
About 30 firefighters battled overnight to tackle the blaze in the building on Princes Street, at the corner of Graham Place.
Flames could be seen shooting from the roof of the building just after 8.30pm on Thursday with the glow of the fire visible from Angus and Fife.
Fire crews and police remained at the scene on Friday.
Police have confirmed there are no reported injuries.
‘You could feel the heat’
The owner of the Premier shop below the flats, who did not want to be named, told The Courier the scene was “chaotic”.
He said: “I was worried about the shop and the residents.
“I came down and the police and fire brigade were here.
“It was chaotic.
“You could feel the heat, it had taken alight quite quickly.
“The shop will be shut until further notice.
“We do rely on the shop.
“I’m just waiting to see what the progress is and see where we sit with it.
“I think the fire brigade are due to give me an update at around 9 or 10am.”
Brooklyn Junor who lives in the same building as Princes Street Surgery – a few doors down from the affected building – said: “We could see the firefighters with their torches going through the lower flats.
“One came out and shouted asking if anyone knew anyone in there.
“Some people went over and the shopkeeper was there, and they spoke, and I don’t think there was anyone inside.
“I had just bought stuff from the shop at about 8.30pm and thought ‘oh, the shop is gone now’.
“I moved my car (from the back of the building) as well as I was worried it would be damaged if anything fell.”
One woman who lives across the road said: “I looked out the window and thought I didn’t realise how foggy it was.
“Then I came outside and looked up and the flames were just huge.
“There were about eight fire engines.
“It seemed to come up right through the roof really quickly.
“It was terrible.
“I stayed for a good couple of hours and came back out at the back of 10 and it was still going.
“You couldn’t stand there because it was thick with smoke, it was choking.”
Another woman, whose flat looks onto the building that was on fire, told The Courier: “It was about 8.45pm when the neighbour shouted ‘fire’.
“I looked out and it was all black smoke, I couldn’t see past the tree just outside our window.
“I went into fight or flight mode, I didn’t know whether to take the kids away or stay but then realised we were safe and far enough away from it.
‘I watched the windows crumble’
“Before they put the water on it was at least an hour and a half the flames were going.
“The flat had two bay windows I’ve always admired because they are so pretty, I basically watched them crumble.
“I’m guessing it will be knocked down because it’s now down to the next floor.
“It’s a shame because these buildings are nice.”
Princes Street remains shut while emergency services work at the scene, with some buses being diverted.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “There are still two appliances at the scene on Princes Street.
“Approximately 30 firefighters were tackling the fire at its height overnight.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.50pm on Thursday, police received a report of a flat fire in the Graham Place area of Dundee.
“A number of residents were evacuated, with no injuries reported.
“Officers continue to assist our colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at the scene.”
One ambulance and two special operations response teams were also called to the scene but no one was taken to hospital.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed.
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