Police are hunting firebugs who targeted two blocks of flats in quick succession yesterday – and warned they could easily have killed someone.
The culprits started a blaze in an electrical cupboard on the ground floor of a building on North Anderson Drive at about 1.20am.
Just 10 minutes later, a rubbish fire on the landing of another block on Midstocket View caused severe smoke damage on the walls and left behind the charred remains of a baby’s buggy.
An acrid stench still filled the stairwell hours later with black marks running up the white walls for several floors.
Police say they believe both blazes were started deliberately and are linked.
Harry Muthurathinam, 25, lives in a flat on the first floor of Midstocket View.
He was awake when two fire engines arrived at the scene but had been unaware of the flames on the floor below.
“I looked out the front door and saw the smoke coming up from the stairwell and could smell something coming through the hall. It was like burnt plastic.
“We weren’t evacuated but the police came round later on and told us they thought it was kids who had been trying doors.
“The door isn’t shutting properly and a couple of weeks ago someone got in and tried to steal a bike from upstairs.
“It’s quite unnerving, especially now, when you find out it was started deliberately.”
Callum Shearer lives on the second floor of the block and was doing university work when the emergency services arrived.
He added: “I could smell burning and saw the hall had filled with smoke, I got my shoes on in case we were evacuated but we weren’t in the end.”
Four engines, with around 20 firefighters on board, were sent and it took crews about 15 minutes to extinguish both blazes.
Police are now appealing for witnesses.
Inspector Jon Millar said: “Thankfully no one was injured and everyone accounted for, however I can’t stress enough the dangers of starting fires within residential properties – you don’t know how the situation will develop, and it goes without saying that the consequences of such reckless behaviour could have fatal consequences. It won’t be tolerated.”
Anyone with information should contact 101 or Crimestoppers on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
