Fire breaks out near newly opened station square

The flames broke out near to where an open day to celebrate the new Granton Station Square refurbishment was taking place.

Fire breaks out near newly opened station Granton Station Square in Edinburgh — The smoke near the council open day for Granton Station Square @livia_edin

Tara Fitzpatrick & Indigo Stafford

11th Mar 2023

Fire crews were called to the scene of a blaze in Edinburgh this morning after smoke was seen in the sky as far away as Fife.

The flames broke out around 11.35am on Saturday around a residential and business area on Lower Granton Road.

It is understood the fire was started by tyres being set alight near to where a council planned open day was taking place to celebrate the completion of Granton Station Square.

Smoke could be seen billowing into the sky behind the new public space with one witness describing an “oily stench in the air is growing strong”.

The flames seen from Fife. @achilles_daz

The opening of the square marked first major milestone of £1.3bn Granton Waterfront regeneration.

Visitors were invited to see the square and get a glimpse of the refurbished Edwardian Granton Station building.

The site was vacant for years before it was bought over by the Council in 2018.

The £4.75m restoration of the building, together with the development of the square, were partly funded through the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Town Centre Fund.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we were in attendance at a fire at Lower Granton Road. We received a call at 11.35am and two appliances are in attendance. The fire has now been extinguished.”