Residents in an Edinburgh apartment block say they're "living in fear" after multiple fires have been started in their stairwell.
Some of those living in the Hyvot Park area of Gilmerton have taken to social media in recent days to share images of burnt out communal areas and have said that they are scared for their lives.
With incidents on both Saturday and Sunday night, September 17 and 18, the aftermath has left the whole building black with smoke as furniture and doors are targeted by firebugs. One local told Edinburgh Live a bag was tied to the door of their 83-year-old neighbour and set alight, with smoke travelling all the way to their flat on the top floor.
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She also shared images on Monday morning and added that she is living in fear at the moment. She said: "A second attempt was made last night (Sunday) to start a fire at my 83-year-old neighbour's flat. Thankfully she is okay but we've all been up throughout the night scared.
"Right now I'm living in fear. Night one someone chose to set fire to a couch left in the stair and our flat became an inferno, with the damage in the stair being unbelievable. On Sunday night, a second incident occurred with my neighbour's door being set on fire, all of the PVC doors in the building have melted and there's shattered glass everywhere.
"The smoke and heat all travelled up to the top floor so our ceiling and door is just black, with wires hanging everywhere as the plastic coverings have all melted. If I'm coming up the stairs in the dark, I need the torch on my phone as all the lights are out.
"We don't know who is doing this or why, but all of us are terrified and the psychological damage of it means I'm kept awake at night and constantly checking the door when I hear a noise. I've requested a move and I know one of my neighbours has already left as it's not safe any more.
"There have been stabbings in the past in this building and our families are scared. I'm moving as I can't live here now."
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 8.55pm on Saturday, 17 September to reports of a fire affecting the first floor of a stairwell in a five-storey block of flats at Hyvot Park, Edinburgh.
"Operations Control mobilised three appliances and a height vehicle to the scene to make the area safe. There were no reported casualties.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.05pm on Saturday, 17 September, 2022, officers were called to a report of a fire at a block of flats at Hyvot Park in Edinburgh.
“The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and no-one was injured.
“Around 9.10pm on Sunday, 18 September, 2022, police were made aware of another fire at Hyvot Park.
“The fire was extinguished and no-one was injured. “Both fires are being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing. “Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 3658 of 18 September, 2022.”
