A fire broke out this morning at a Victorian building, leaving the interior gutted. This marks the second fire incident at the site within the past five years.
The blaze triggered widespread disruption to rush‑hour public transport. Tram services in the area were interrupted, and several bus routes were diverted to accommodate emergency response efforts.
Edinburgh Trams announced that only a partial route, running from the airport to the West End, remains operational. Ticket acceptance has been arranged with ScotRail between Edinburgh Gateway and Edinburgh Waverley, and with Lothian Buses between the West End and Newhaven.
The building formerly housed a department store, which closed in April 2021 after a fire damaged its ground floor. Since then, the vacant structure has remained unused.
Local authorities have introduced plans to redevelop the historic property into a luxury hotel, aiming to revitalize the site while preserving its architectural heritage.
