A SEARCH and rescue team were called to a Scottish pub today to carry out a search after the roof collapsed.
The Fiddlers Elbow on Edinburgh’s Picardy Place was closed when the incident happened and nobody was inside the pub’s premises.
Fifty fire fighters attended the pub after receiving a call at 2.30am with reports of a collapsed first floor roof.
The fire alarm was set off during the collapse allowing customers from the basement night club underneath the Fiddlers Elbow, GHQ, to evacuate safely.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said: “We attended a first floor ceiling collapse.
“Two urban search and rescue teams were also called who quickly established that all persons were accounted for.
“Scottish power and gas were also on scene until the building was left safe.”
She added: “No persons were in the premises at the time.”
Ryan McMurray, 27, from Edinburgh, returned to the pub this afternoon to try and find his jacket and house keys.
However, when he arrived there was nobody inside the pub or notice to tell him where to contact.
He said: “I’m here to get my keys . There inside, in my jacket but we weren’t allowed in last night to get our things.
“I was down in the club, in the basement when the fire alarm went off.
“Everyone was told to get out and wait at the front of the pub then the police, ambulance and fire crews started to arrive.
“There must have been four or five trucks arriving when we got out.
“We could all see through the window that the roof had collapsed but I don’t think anybody was hurt.
“Where it collapsed, in the main bar and restaurant is normally really busy. Last night it was busy, the Saturday night crowd were in.
“That part closes at 1am though and the roof collapsed at half past. Luckily nobody was in at that point.
“I didn’t hear anything from downstairs though, just the fire alarm going off. We didn’t know until we were outside that the roof had gone.”
Another passerby who did not wish to be named, used to work in the bar up until two weeks ago.
He explained that the roof had collapsed before.
He said: “It was the suspended roof that collapsed. It was supposed to be replaced pretty soon I think.
“The roof has collapsed before though, about a year ago but nobody was hurt.”
Tina Finch took to Twitter to explain that a recent refurbishment was almost complete at the pub.
She wrote: “Real shame about the disaster at Fiddlers Elbow last night as refurb was almost complete. Glad no one hurt.”
The last fire fighters left the scene at 5.50am today after they had secured the building.
Nobody from the Fiddlers Elbow was available for comment today.
