Blaze damage to city university

An investigation has been launched into the incident

Part of Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh has been badly damaged by fire after a suspected gas explosion.

The civil and offshore engineering building on the Riccarton campus was unoccupied at the time and no-one was injured, fire officers said.

More than 50 firefighters were involved in fighting the flames at the west end campus on Saturday morning.

An investigation has been launched to establish the cause of the fire.

The explosion took place in a plant room on the top floor of the four-storey building at about 0840 BST and blew a hole in a wall.

Tom Munro, of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We found a serious fire upon arrival.

Pipe system

"One of the walls on the top-most level had been physically blown out and the debris was lying on the path and grass below."

Mr Munro said cladding and brickwork had also been dislodged.

Fire officers and building control officers from the city council have been assessing the extent of the damage.

While an investigation has been launched into the cause of the explosion, Lothian and Borders Police said there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

Scotia Gas Network, formerly Transco, said the blast did not involve any of its pipes.

Its engineers have been helping with checks on the university's own gas pipe system.