Fire and rescue service appliances from as far afield as Dufftown and Inverness were called to a major blaze last night on a mixed residential and industrial street in Elgin.
Emergency services were informed of the blaze at 4.20pm at Moray Precast on Ashgrove Road.
Local fire crews were quickly joined by appliances from Rothes, Lossiemouth, Fochabers and Forres with further crews drafted in from Inverness and Dufftown. A total of nine Fire and Rescue units were at the scene along with police and an ambulance on standby.
The building was well ablaze and threatening the adjoining Ashgrove vehicle bodyworks unit next door – however, police quickly confirmed that everyone in the building had got clear and there were no injuries.
Members of the public were asked to clear the immediate area over fears of gas cylinders, while residents in nearby flats were later evacuated amid fears over acrid smoke and fumes from Asbestos roofing.
Other residents in the area were asked to remain in their homes with doors and windows closed.
Fire started at around 4pm (Andy Mackenzie)
Thousands logged on to insideMoray’s Facebook page to share news and images from the area. These included Karen Norvell, whose parents live opposite the Ashgrove Garage.
Karen said: “My parents were not evacuated but they were checked on by police and a paramedic checked in on my Dad, who is disabled and has breathing difficulties.”
Laura Mclachlan-Smith, who lives on nearby Ashgrove Place, was initially warned that there was an evacuation likely and she may not be able to return to her home. However, she later reported: “We managed to get home and into our house – but looking at the fire the building looks a mess and is still smouldering.”
A spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue said: “When we arrived the fire had extended through the roof at the Moray Precast works and was burning quite readily from a workshop area.
“During the incident we escalated to eight pumping appliances and a height vehicle, we quickly got the fire under control and isolated it to the workshop area.”
The blaze had been doused by 7pm when damping down with a single pump unit remaining at the scene overnight.
More images of the Ashgrove Road fire can be found on the insideMoray Facebook page.