Raging blaze tears through warehouse
SCORES of residents had to be evacuated from their homes after a fire ripped through a builders' warehouse and threatened to blow up flammable cylinders.
Police set up a 300 metre cordon and evacuated at least 50 homes in Armadale while around 50 firefighters battled the fierce blaze on Tuesday night at the builders merchants in High Academy Street.
The fire was so severe that the building has now collapsed. Pupils heading to Armadale Primary School yesterday had to take a diverted route through Avondale Drive and St Margaret's Drive.
All other roads surrounding the building remained closed due to the continuing risk of explosion from the gas cylinders and firefighters were still on the scene yesterday as a safety precaution.
Crews were called to the fire at around 2.45pm on Tuesday and managed to extinguish most of the flames. But ten firefighters stayed behind to hose down highly flammable acetylene and propane cylinders.
There were still a few "hot spots" where the building was still alight yesterday.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "The cylinders need to be cooled for 24 hours because when they're heated up they become unstable and can explode.
"The cylinders were right in the centre of the building, which makes them tricky to deal with. They are continuing to hose them down but can't get too close.
"The crews used ground monitoring equipment on the hoses, which fixes them in place, due to the possible dangers associated with acetylene cylinders. This enabled them to stay well back from the site as a precaution."
Fire crews had to request several extra engines during the operation after the water supply to the surrounding streets lost pressure.
Displaced local residents were taken to a community centre in Armadale with the help of police and council officers and were only allowed back into their homes following an assessment.
Building control officials will also visit the scene to see assess the damage.
The building is known locally as the old chapel and was previously used as a chapel and a social club. It also used to serve as a school at the turn of the last century.
A police spokesman said: "An investigation into the circumstances will be carried out in due course."
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Weather for Bathgate
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
