A number of youths have been charged after a deliberate blaze was started at a derelict north-east hospital building.
Nine youngsters aged 12-17 will be reported to Aberdeen’s Youth Justice Management Unit in connection with willful fire-raising at a disused section of the city’s Cornhill Hospital earlier this month.
Police, fire and ambulance crews raced to the scene and more than 20 firefighters took over an hour to bring the blaze under control after it was reported just after 6pm on June 8.
The youths comprise seven boys aged 13, 14, 15, plus two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds, and two girls aged 12 and 16.
The blaze was one of a series of deliberate incidents to hit the north-east in the past three months, including four on the night of June 8.
Fire-raisers also targeted Tory’s Tesco Supermarket and Grampian Court and Kintore’s Torryburn Hotel.
In May, Aberdeen’s Broadford Works site was set ablaze on three separate occasions, causing council chiefs to issue a notice to the building’s owner Ian Suttie to step up security at the site.
Another deliberate blaze was set on grassland at Kincorth Hill, known locally as the Gramps, in May causing thick plumes of smoke to be seen from miles around.
Round-the-clock security has been installed by NHS Grampian at Cornhill to prevent further fires being set there.
A major fire broke out in derelict properties at the site on Guy Fawkes Night in 2013.
It lasted for almost 10 hours and required more than 70 firefighters to bring it under control.
Earlier this year, Cala Homes was given permission to convert two buildings on the Cornhill site into 61 apartments.
Rosemount and Midstocket councillor Bill Cormie said he hoped the culprits would “learn their lesson”.
He added: “NHS Grampian have introduced 24 hour security which will hopefully put anyone off trying anything like this again.
“I think the housing plan is really good too, I hope we can bring this forward as quickly as possible.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that nine youths have been charged in connection with willful fire-raising at the old section of Cornhill Hospital.
“The youths will be reported to the Youth Justice Management Unit.”