Residents evacuated during an early-morning blaze have received an apology from Fife Council.
They had to leave their homes when the fire recorded in this dramatic video by Keiron Cameron ripped through a derelict building in the centre of Burntisland on Saturday.
The former shipyard workers hall owned by the local authority has lain empty for many years and a plan to demolish it almost a decade ago was dropped due to a lack of cash.
Over 40 firefighters tackled the blaze after the alarm was raised at around 1am but the building, behind the High Street and surrounded by flats, was destroyed.
No one was injured but council officer Ross Tulloch, lead professional, said: “We’d like to apologise to residents nearby for the disturbance and concern this has caused and would like to reassure them that we are doing all we can to clear the area as soon as possible.”
Mr Tulloch explained costs for demolition were obtained in 2005 but no budget was identified to carry out the work.
Difficult access to the property, which can only be reached through a close or via steps, meant the cost of knocking it down was higher than usual for a building of its size and type.
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Crews Lochgelly and Methil fire stations were drafted in to help firefighters from Burntisland and Kirkcaldy deal with the incident.
While some residents in flats next to the building were evacuated others were directed by police to stay indoors and keep windows closed.
The blaze was brought under control by 4am.
A fire investigation team is working with the Police Scotland to determine the cause of the fire.