Princes Street blaze shows fire service ‘can’t face more cuts’
The Fire Brigades Union has issued the stark warning following a blaze at a prominent Edinburgh building.
The firefighters union has warned the service “can’t face any more cuts” following the ferocious fire which engulfed a historic property on Princes Street, which is now set to have at least the top floors torn down given the extent of the damage.
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Scotland said the blaze and the scale of the response highlighted the importance of local fire stations, with SNP ministers now been warned that planned cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are risking an “ability to keep communities safe”.
Emergency services were called to the old Debenhams building on Princes Street in the city centre at 2.52am on Thursday morning with the adjacent block above the former River Island and Levi’s stores at 109 Princes Street ablaze, including part of the former department store.
The cause of the “significant” fire, which led to the evacuation of 10 people from a property on Rose Street, is now being investigated by Police Scotland and the fire service, with disruption in the city centre set to continue in the aftermath of blaze.
Crews worked through the early hours of Thursday to contain and extinguish the flames, which destroyed the roof and top floors of the disused B-listed building , with the rest of the structure left blackened and charred on the inside.
A source said it was clear there were immediate health and safety concerns about the building, with structural engineers advising that the upper floors must be removed as soon as possible.
A further assessment is to be carried out on the gable walls and the facade. Other floors could also be at risk, but the top two storeys must be removed “as a minimum”, the source said.
Seven fire engines and three specialist appliances were on the scene at the height of the incident, with several people evacuated from their homes nearby.
The fire comes weeks after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service set out its plan to close a number of fire stations, withdraw fire appliances from others and reduce fire cover.
Further concerns have been raised over the cutbacks after crews from Marionville station in the capital attended the blaze, which was saved from closure last month following a huge campaign involving local residents, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), community groups and local politicians.
Fire chiefs dropped their proposal to close the station in Lochend as part of a Scotland-wide review of fire services.
The Fire Brigades Union in Scotland, which represents frontline firefighters, has pointed to Thursday’s blaze as an example of the increasing danger and heightened risk faced by businesses and communities as firefighters and fire appliances continue to be cut across the country.
Gus Sproul, Scottish regional chairman of the FBU, said: “It shows that we need an appropriate weight of response to deal with these fires effectively and if we see further cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, we’ll not be able to do that.
“We’ve seen 1,250 firefighter jobs go in the last 13 years. We lost 166 firefighter posts just three years ago.
“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service can’t face any more cuts an”d we need a sustained package of funding from the Scottish Government.”
Similar to the recent fire near Glasgow Central station, Mr Sproul said the age of the building on Princes Street had presented a challenging task for firefighters.
Older buildings such as the one at the old Debenham’s site pose “extra risks”, he said.
The longer crews are at the scene, he said, the longer they are exposed to potentially carcinogenic fumes from the fire.
Mr Sproul said: “It’s a very, very dangerous job that we do and we need the Scottish Government to commit to sustainable funding so we can prevent these kind of things happening in the future.”
John McKenzie, regional secretary of the FBU in Scotland, added: "This fire is yet further evidence of the importance of a rapid and effective response from firefighters to emergency incidents, and underlines the risks of cuts to that response.
“Over the weeks and months ahead the FBU will be continuing our campaign to ensure that MSPs of all parties commit to providing the financial resources the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service needs."
Following a major review by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services , seven stations will close, while two facilities will be built in Glasgow and East Lothian, costing more than £20 million.,
Five long-term dormant stations in Stirlingshire, the Highlands and Shetland will be shut, alongside Yorkhill Station in Glasgow’s west end and Musselburgh station in East Lothian.
The fire service review includes changes and alterations at more than 30 fire stations across Scotland.
In February, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service warned it could be forced to cut its workforce by another 500 firefighters to balance its budget over the next three years amid a £6m funding gap in this financial year.
Deputy assistant chief officer Willie Pollard, of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters would be on site “for quite a considerable time moving forward”.
The Princes Street building, which had been due to be turned into a Zedwell Hotel of 328 bedrooms plus 345 “capsules” or pods, will be fully assessed when the area has been made safe, the city council has said.
Owners Criterion Capital, based in London, said in a statement: “In respect of the fire at the former Debenhams building on Princes Street, Edinburgh, in the early hours of this morning, our immediate priority is the safety of everyone involved.
“There have been no reported injuries, and we are very grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and professionalism.
“This building is an important and historic part of Edinburgh’s city centre, and we continue to liaise with the emergency services and relevant authorities.”
Edinburgh city council leader Jane Meagher said: “I’m relieved to hear that nobody has been hurt, and grateful for the swift response of the emergency services – who prevented this devastating fire becoming far worse.
“Once the area has been made safe, we will fully assess the condition of the building and consider next steps.
“I hope that local residents who were evacuated during the night will be able to return home soon.
“I’d urge people to continue to avoid the area for the time being, plan for ongoing disruption and follow all advice from the emergency services and transport operators.”
James Garry, assistant director of Edinburgh heritage organisation, the Cockburn Association, said it was “too early to know the full extent of the damage”, but he warned that “any major fire affecting a prominent building on Princes Street is significant”.
He urged that “every effort” was made to conserve the historic fabric of the building.
Mr Garry said: “This is one of Edinburgh's defining civic spaces and forms part of the city's World Heritage Site.
“Buildings like this contribute not only to Edinburgh's distinctive skyline but also to its identity and sense of place. Once the site is safe, the priority should be a thorough assessment of what survives.
“Historic buildings often retain far more than first appears possible, and every effort should be made to conserve significant historic fabric before irreversible decisions are taken.”
He added: “More broadly, this is a reminder that Edinburgh's historic environment is both precious and vulnerable.
“Protecting it means not only celebrating our heritage but investing in its care, resilience and long-term stewardship, recognising that the city's historic buildings are also part of the infrastructure that supports daily life, the economy and the experience of everyone who lives in or visits Edinburgh."
SNP community safety minister, Kirsten Oswald, said: “My sincere thanks go to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and emergency responders who have worked to safely and effectively contain and extinguish the fire on Princes Street and I am pleased there were no casualties.
“We remain in close contact with SFRS and other partners as work continues to keep the area safe, whilst minimising disruption.
“We are investing almost £436 million in SFRS in 2026-27 - an increase of £23.8 million. This will support frontline services and help ensure SFRS continues to deliver the high standards needed to keep communities safe, as demonstrated by the response to the Princes Street fire.”
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