A woman has died after a fire engulfed a block of flats in Paisley last night.
Fire crews made a mercy dash to Belmont Road in the town's Gallowhill area shortly after 10.30pm.
Six appliances fought the flames which tore through the building. Pictures from the scene show the roof ablaze.
This morning, firefighters are still in attendance. Two can be seen in a turntable ladder hosing down an area torched by the inferno.
Police Scotland confirmed this morning that a 38-year-old has tragically died and that an investigation into what happened is ongoing.
One local resident, who asked not to be named, told the Paisley Daily Express: “It’s absolutely devastating, heartbreaking. It looks like it’s started at one house and spread along six or eight of them.
“People will have lost everything and one poor family has lost a loved one.
"We could hear the fire alarms going off for what seemed like hours. It was a constant ringing just letting us all know the building was burning.
"It was all the noise that woke us and, when we looked out, it was pitch black but also so bright with the flames.
“The fire had been burning for at least an hour before the fire service could access the fire hydrant. It was chaos. I think they only had one hose and it was taking them forever to get a hold of the fire.
“Paisley is such a sad, sad place these days. There is always something gut-wrenching going on. The families don’t deserve this. Nobody should be woken up in the middle of the night with their world on fire around them.
“I pray that those affected get the support they need. Nobody deserves this. Absolutely heartbreaking. I’m sure the community will rally round and help anyone in anyway that they can.
"I’ve already seen a post about offering help; that’s the good thing about Paisley. There’s always someone willing to help. The community will always try to do their bit.”
A spokesperson said: “Around 10.45pm on Thursday, April 13, police were called to reports of a fire at a property on Belmont Road, Paisley. A 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Officers remain in attendance and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. Anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference 3922 of 13 April, 2023.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service added: "We received a call at 10.37pm on Thursday, March 13 to a building fire on Belmont Road in Paisley.
"Operations Control mobilised six appliances to the scene. Firefighters remain in attendance."
The Scottish Ambulance Service and Renfrewshire Council have been contacted for comment this morning. More information will be provided as and when it is confirmed and becomes available.
Additional reporting: Emylie Howie
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