Homes evacuated after major fire

The flames could be seen a mile away/Pic: John Anderson

Investigations are under way into the cause of a major fire at a construction site for a six-storey block of flats in the north of Edinburgh.

More than 100 people from neighbouring homes were evacuated after the Waterfront Gait site was engulfed by flames at 2250 GMT on Saturday.

No-one was hurt in the blaze, which could be seen from a mile away.

Police said they were keen to speak to two girls spotted leaving the scene shortly before the fire was reported.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "Witnesses have reported that there were two females near to the incident at the relevant time and were described as being distressed before leaving the scene a short time later."

Damping down

The first girl was described as being white, in her early teens with a slim build, 5ft 4in tall and with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

She was wearing black jeans and a black, long-sleeved hooded top.

The second female was also white and about 5ft 4in tall, with straight, shoulder-length brown hair. She was wearing a pink short-sleeved T-shirt with dark coloured trousers.

Fire crews were still carrying out damping down operations late on Sunday afternoon.

The partly-built block of flats, on the corner of West Granton Road and Pennywell Road, was completely destroyed by the flames.

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said they had received 70 emergency calls from members of the public when the fire broke out.

She added that officers were attempting to establish what caused the fire.