At 8.11pm on December 7, 2002, pillars of smoke billowed from the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town as a massive fire engulfed more than a dozen buildings in the Cowgate.
While fire crews were on site within minutes, it was 52 hours before the flames were fully extinguished. Millions of pounds worth of damage was done, historic buildings left in tatters, and 150 people were forced to flee their homes.
Starting above La Belle Angele nightclub, the blaze spread through several properties in the Cowgate within less than two hours. Buildings housing loved places of business and academic study such as the Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh University's School of Informatics and Leisureland were destroyed.
READ MORE - The loved Edinburgh places lost forever after the Cowgate fire in 2002
At its peak, the fire took hold of 13 buildings. Bars, nightclubs, university offices, comedy clubs and more were all consumed - all of them connected over and under each other.
Fire crews could have had no idea it would reach this level of disaster, before a hole was made in the Leisureland building revealing an old lift shaft where the blaze was making its way up the height of the structure.
To see the full extent of the damage, pictures from the aftermath can be found below.
With the tightly woven maze-like streets of the Old Town, the fire could easily reach nearby buildings. While the area's distinct look may be charming, it caused extreme difficulty for firefighters.
Del Simpson, Assistant Fire Master for Lothian and Borders Brigade told The Irish Independent during the fire: “It is fair to say we will be here for at least another two days.
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“The problem is the deep-seated fires in some buildings - we can’t get in because of dangerous conditions, and I’m not going to put firefighters at risk unnecessarily.
More than 100 firefighters fought the blaze, battling to save buildings that dated back to 1788. Office worker Drew Williams told reporters at the time: “Hundreds of years of history has literally gone up in smoke.”
Once the fire was finally extinguished, Edinburgh City Council put 54 people in emergency accommodation following the initial evacuation. Despite the extensive damage to property, no lives were lost and only one firefighter received minor injuries.
In its wake, the fire left a deep scar in the city - one that took more than a decade to fully heal. The Cowgate, an area that was once at the centre of Edinburgh’s nightlife and arts scene, took a long time to return to its former glory.
While many of the lost businesses, such as Leisureland, never returned to the city - some emerged from the ashes. La Belle Angele made a triumphant return in 2014, was welcomed back into the nightlife scene with open arms.
Others, such as the Gilded Balloon, moved into different premises.
Historic Scotland said in 2002 that it was ‘impossible’ to quantify the impact the fire would have on the historic core of Edinburgh. They added: “What is certain is that many of the buildings’ interiors are irreplaceable.
“A piece of Edinburgh’s history has been lost.”
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