Terrified residents of an Aberdeen tower block have described their horror as they fled through corridors filled with thick smoke after a deliberate fire was set in the ground floor bin room.
Four occupants, including a baby girl, were taken to hospital and more than 20 people were treated for smoke inhalation following the late night blaze at Torry’s Grampian Court.
A smaller blaze was also reported outside the Tesco supermarket in Torry on Monday night.
Police are searching for six people in connection with the two incidents – both of which are being treated as wilful fire-raising.
The fires came on the same night a derelict building at the Royal Cornhill Hospital and the Torryburn Hotel in Kintore were also found ablaze. Police said a 13-year-old boy had been charged and will be reported in connection with wilful fire-raising at Cornhill.
Grampian Court resident Kryzysztof Lewicki told how firefighters led him from his 12th floor flat in the smoke-filled block, before he was transferred by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The 47-year-old oil worker, originally from eastern Europe, said: “It was scary seeing all the smoke.
“I took my son Olaf with me for a translator as they put a gas mask on me in the ambulance.
“The doctors and firefighters were totally fantastic, I can’t thank them enough.”
Anna Angus, 18, said she worried for her eight month-old daughter as the thick smoke billowed through the building.
She said: “It was crazy, I was told to stay inside but the smoke was so thick I was worried it could get into the flat.
“I was so scared for my baby.”
Fourth-floor resident Emma Bain, 32, said: “I was sleeping when the fire alarm went off so I looked through the spyhole and the smoke was so thick I couldn’t see the other wall from me.
“I hope they get the people responsible, they could easily have killed someone.”
Inspector David Paterson, of the Torry Community Policing Team, said: “We are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry and can reassure the local people we will carry out a robust investigation”
Scottish fire and rescue group manager Fraser Burr said: “Deliberate fire setting is a crime and we encourage anyone who has any information to contact Police Scotland.”
Aberdeen South MP Callum McCaig said: “I cannot imagine how traumatising this incident must have been, and I hope that everyone makes a full recovery.
“I will be writing to Aberdeen City Council to ensure that all available support is being provided to residents.”