Firefighters tackle blaze at scene of £1m cannabis bust in Kirkcaldy, Fife for nine hours

Officers are appealing for witnesses after a major fire broke out at the scene of a £1m drugs bust in Fife.

Emergency services were alerted to the fire at the former WHSmith building on High Street, Kirkcaldy at around 7.25pm on Tuesday.

The blaze burned for nine hours before it was extinguished by fire crews and no injuries were reported.

Crews left the scene at around 4.11am on Wednesday morning after making the area safe and police are now carrying out enquiries into the circumstances.

The building has been identified locally as the scene of a £1m cannabis bust earlier this year.

Officers executed a drugs search warrant at a property on May 4 and uncovered the cannabis farm, arresting four men in connection.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were alerted at 7.26pm on Tuesday, August 16 to reports of a building fire at High Street, Kirkcaldy.

“Operations Control mobilised nine fire appliances and a high reach appliance to the incident where firefighters extinguished the fire.

“Crews left the scene at 4.11am on Wednesday, August 17 after ensuring the area was made safe.”

Detective inspector Samantha Davidson of Glenrothes CID said: “We are working to establish the full circumstances of this fire and would urge anyone with information which could help to come forward.

“We would also be keen to speak to anyone with dashcam footage or private CCTV.

“Anyone who can help is asked to call 101, quoting reference 2947 of August 16.”