A 54-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a fire in a block of flats in Inverness.
The blaze broke out around 10.15pm on Tuesday, and several residents were evacuated from the block on MacKintosh Road in Raigmore.
The male casualty was rushed to nearby Raigmore Hospital in a serious condition.
One local resident who saw all the commotion said: “I got up out my chair at the back of eight o’clock to shut the curtains and I saw a police car and ambulance, but they were coming out of the building when I saw them. The police car stayed, while the ambulance left.
“Then, when I woke up just before twelve, I saw all the blue lights. I saw three ambulances and a few other appliances; they were running about everywhere.”
Four appliances from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – three from Inverness and one from Nairn – were all dispatched to the scene, following the call at 10.13pm.
A spokesman from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 10.13pm on Tuesday, April 3 to reports of a dwelling fire.
“Operations Control immediately mobilised a number of fire engines to Mackintosh Road, Inverness, where firefighters extinguished the fire.
“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area had been made safe.”
Police officers were also dispatched to the scene alongside paramedics from the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Emergency services are now carrying out an investigation in an attempt to identify the leading cause of the fire.
A spokesman from Police Scotland said: “A 54-year-old man was removed from the flat and is currently in a serious condition in Raigmore Hospital.
“A number of occupants were evacuated from the block at the time. They were returned to their homes shortly after the fire was extinguished and the flat made safe.
“A joint Scottish Fire and Rescue Service/Police investigation is on-going to determine the cause of the fire.”
