Residents evacuated in Rutherglen fire drama
Former council offices in flames
Last updated 14th Oct 2022
People in Rutherglen were evacuated from their homes as firefighters worked through the night to tackle a blaze at a council building in the town centre.
Nearby flats have been evacuated as a precaution as crews deal with the fire in King Street, the fire service said.
Photographs on social media show the Royal Burgh House building engulfed in flames with smoke pouring into the sky shortly after 11pm on Thursday.
With the fire extinguished its possible to see the roof of the building has collapsed, and also it's proximity to a filling station.
Homes evacuated
Around five households are understood to have been evacuated from properties near the building as a precaution, with the nearby town hall opened as a rest centre.
Most were able to return to their homes later on Friday morning.
A spokeswoman for South Lanarkshire Council said: "When we were alerted to the fire in former council offices on King St, Rutherglen, we assisted SFRS (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service).
"As some residents had to be evacuated, we arranged for Rutherglen Town Hall to be opened as a rest centre and a small number had to be accommodated for the night.
"Some roads remain closed, and officers will be active in the area to provide further assistance as required."
Road closures
King Street has been closed in both directions, with Farmeloan Road also shut as emergency services deal with the incident.
A fire service spokeswoman said: "We had numerous calls to a building on fire.
"We quickly made it a level two response with six appliances and two aerial appliances.
"We have been fighting the fire all night."
No injuries have been reported.
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