Latest news with #BalhousiePrimary
Scotsman
01-07-2025
- Scotsman
Former Balhousie Primary in Perth facing demolition after devastating fire ripped through building
The school was badly damaged during a devastating blaze on June 22. Sign up to the daily Crime UK newsletter. All the latest crime news and trials from across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A derelict Perth school is now facing demolition following extensive damage after a fire. Balhousie Primary School, on Dunkeld Road, closed in 2023 due to its deteriorating condition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Balhousie Primary is set to be demolished. | Google The school, which was established in 1908, suffered from a devastating blaze on Sunday, June 22. An 18-year-old was arrested in connection, but later released pending further inquiries. The fire meant the roof collapsed and the council then appointed an independent structural engineer to undertake an assessment of the building. A Police Scotland spokesperson has said an investigation into the incident is 'ongoing'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perth and Kinross Council have announced the derelict school will now face demolition. A council spokesperson said: 'Following the significant fire at the former Balhousie Primary School in the early hours of Sunday, June 22, the council appointed an independent structural engineer to undertake an assessment of the building. 'This was carried out using specialist access equipment and indicates serious structural concerns and recommends demolition. As a result, a dangerous buildings notice has been issued for the building.' The spokesperson said that, as owners of the building, they were now required to take action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We understand that this news will be disappointing to everyone who values the building and has fond memories of it, but is an unfortunate result of the scale of the damage from the fire,' the spokesperson said. 'We will engage with neighbours and the wider community on the next steps and will continue to liaise with Historic Environment Scotland.
BBC News
22-06-2025
- BBC News
Man arrested over fire at former Perth primary school
A teenager has been arrested over a fire at a former primary school in eyewitness described seeing a "tornado of fire and smoke" at the old Balhousie Primary School building on Muirton Place shortly after midnight on Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) dispatched six crews and two height appliances to the scene, with firefighters continuing to battle back the blaze into the early 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with wilful fire-raising. Two crews and a height appliance remain on the scene on Sunday morning to carry out dampening down work, the SFRS were not thought to be any casualties, but a number of properties were evacuated as a precaution, Police Scotland said. One eyewitness told BBC Scotland News: "I drove past at about 01:30 and the roof had collapsed."There was a full fire-smoke tornado engulfing the building."The flames began to subside about an hour later and the red glow was almost completely gone by about 03:30."She added staff at a local garage had provided coffee and water to emergency responders, while a nearby branch of McDonald's had handed out food. Dunkeld Road, Balhousie Street and Muirton Place were closed off and drivers and pedestrians have been warned to avoid the residents were warned to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke coming from the Primary School was closed in 2023 when pupils were moved to the new Riverside Primary. It is the second major fire to hit a building in the city in the space of a week after a tenement on the corner of South Street and Scott Street was destroyed last Saturday.A man died and an eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital, while Perth and Kinross Council said the building would have to be completely demolished due to the damage.
