Fire teams have been sent to a significant fire at a historic Aberdeen school this morning.
The emergency services were called to Victoria Road school in Torry shortly after 9.20am.
Three fire appliances have been dispatched to the incident.
The fire has sent large plumes of smoke into the sky above Torry, and can be seen from across the city.
Last year, the Torry Development Trust and Grampian Housing Association won a campaign to be selected as “preferred bidders” for the site.
Community group takes victory in battle over Aberdeen school
Together, the groups plan to convert the former school into affordable housing.
The school, which was first built in 1878, survived direct hits from bombs in World War II.
The city council closed its doors in 2008.
Victoria Road has been shut in both directions by the police, while the fire crews attend the scene.
UPDATE: Parts of the roof of the historic school have now collapsed.
David Murray, the architect helping the Torry Development Trust, has gone out to the school this morning to see the devastating fire for himself.
He said: “The seat of the fire appears to be in the original school building.
“We know people have been getting in and out of there.
“At the moment through the smoke you can see the stone gable is still intact, but flames are licking up the side of the wall.
“So the whole roof on that section is gone.
“You can hear the fire crackling away, so it’s still got a good hold.
“It looks serious. I just hope no one was in there.”
Tara Donald, who lives near the old school, said: “I opened the window and my daughter asked me what the strange small was.
“I didn’t think anything of it, until I walked past the window and saw the billowing smoke.
“It’s such a shame this has happened, when folk are obviously working so hard to make it better.
“It’s been empty for years, just left to sit for so long, which is such a shame because it’s an important building for people living in Torry.”
