A DOG has died and a woman taken to hospital after a fire in the stairwell of an Edinburgh flat.
The black Labrador dog perished following the blaze at Captain’s Drive at 9.10pm.
According to witnesses the woman, in her 20s, was thrown from her feet after the back-draft blew into her flat when she opened her door.
She was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and an abrasion on her head after jumping from the first floor flat to escape the flames.
Flat owner, Ryan Sutherland, was seen by neighbours trying to re-enter his property to rescue three dogs after the fire brigade arrived at the scene.
Despite his efforts, one dog died and another, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
A 40-year-old man, named locally as Danny Thompson, was also treated by ambulance workers.
An investigation is under way into the cause of the fire.
A Lothian and Borders Fire Service spokeswoman said: “We received a call at 9.09pm to a fire at a common stairwell at Captain’s Drive.
“A woman has been taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation and an abrasion to her head after the fire flashed over when she opened the door to the flat.
“Three dogs were rescued from the building – one had to be revived with oxygen and another dog died.
“A male, aged 40, was also assisted from the building and he received treatment for smoke inhalation but is otherwise okay.”
Dogs
According to one neighbour, Mrs Muriel McLaughlin, the female who was taken to hospital had only just moved into the area a week ago to be with her boyfriend.
She said: “The girl hasn’t been in the area long at all – maybe a week.
“She moved from Prestonfield and now lives with her boyfriend Ryan in that flat.”
Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “This was quiet street full of old friends.
“It wouldn’t have been hard to start the fire because their close was always full of litter.”
Eye witnesses said the three dogs involved in the rescue of the council flat were a dark brown Staffordshire terrier, a bull mastiff and a black Labrador – it was the Labrador that died.
It is believed that casualty Danny and had been in the building for more than 15 years.
He lived in the top floor flat across the landing from Ryan and his girlfriend.
Detective Sergeant John Graham, from Lothian and Borders police said: “The fire broke out on the top floor landing and spread to threaten properties in the stair.
“Some of the occupants were forced to jump from a first floor window to safety, while another resident was rescued via ladder by the fire service.
“At this time we are appealing for any information that can assist our inquiries, in particular anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in or around the building prior to the fire breaking out.
“Anyone else with any other information that can assist our inquiries should also get in touch.”
