Calls are being made for a fatal fire in Perth to be fully investigated to prevent another “tragedy” from happening.
A 46-year-old man has died and another is being treated in hospital for serious injuries after an early morning explosion at the Shore Road Recycling Centre on Tuesday.
This is the third fire to happen at the Friarton centre in the last two years.
Local politicians have now paid their condolences to the family and friends of the man who died, but say an investigation must now be carried out to find out exactly what happened.
‘We now need a full investigation’
Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, said the explosion has “stunned” the whole city, particularly after three people lost their lives in a fire in the New County Hotel less than two months ago.
He said: “All of us in the city offer our condolences to the man’s family during this devastating time.
“We also hope for a speedy recovery to the other man who has been hospitalised by the incident.”
However, he added: “This is the third fire at the Shore Road site in less than two years, and what we now need is a full investigation into what happened, a proper examination into what measures were put in place following the previous incidents, and information on what the statutory authorities were doing to monitor the ongoing situation at Shore Road.
“Going forward, the people of Perth need to be reassured by authorities that the necessary safety regulations are being implemented at the site to ensure that such a tragic accident can never happen again.”
Murdo Fraser, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, echoed his calls and said: “We need to understand what the causes of the fire were.
“Clearly there needs to be a fatal accident inquiry.
“But in the context of a pattern of fires at this centre, we need to understand what needs to happen here in the future.”
‘It is just horrific’
Emergency services tackled the blaze for more than 12 hours and the city came to a standstill as the Friarton Bridge was closed for a large part of the day.
Others have paid tribute to the emergency services for their efforts in getting the fire under control.
Grant Laing, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: “This is a tragedy for the family and friends of the victim.
“It is just horrific.
“There needs to be an inquiry to find out what has gone wrong and to prevent it from ever happening again so another family don’t find themselves in this situation.”
And Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, added: “This is clearly a very concerning situation and I will be seeking urgent updates to ask if it is in any way related to previous incidents in the area, and seeking talks with relevant bodies to establish the facts of what has happened.”
Shore Recycling Centre and SEPA have both been approached for comment.
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