THE name of the firefighter in "critical condition" following a blaze at a well-known Edinburgh building has been released.
Barry Martin suffered serious injuries trying to put out the fire at the former department store Jenners.
Five firefighters were taken to the hospital for treatment, with four later being released, after being called to the scene at 11.29am on Monday.
Witnesses saw a soot-covered firefighter being helped from the building by colleagues.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said: "You will all by now be aware of the serious fire yesterday at the Jenners building in Edinburgh.
"You may have seen from other reports that a firefighter has been seriously injured and at the time of writing remains in critical condition.
"This firefighter is Barry Martin, who is based in Edinburgh. Four other firefighters requiring hospital treatment have now been discharged.
"The thoughts of all of us are with Barry, his family, friends, and colleagues and our priority at this time is the welfare of those affected by this incident.
"FBU officials in Scotland are already addressing this incident and together with FBU Head Office are making urgent arrangements on the immediate steps required.
"We ask that the press and media respect the family’s privacy at this time. Further information will be issued when possible."
Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day said the cause of the blaze is not yet known.
“Obviously there was construction work happening on the old Jenners building, so we’ll find out in the next coming days," he said.
Day, a Labour councillor, added: “I'm sure I say this on behalf of the whole city, that our thoughts are with the firefighters who risked their lives to save the building and save the people around the city as well, so our thoughts are with their families today.”
The council will assess the building’s structural integrity, Day said, adding: “That is a question we don’t have the answer to yet.”
Asked if the building, which has stood on Princes Street since the 1800s, will survive, Day was unable to be definitive.
“That will be subject to these surveys; I’m hopeful that where we saw the fire yesterday was to the rear of the building and I hope that can be salvaged,” he said.
Scotland’s community safety minister Elena Whitham, SNP MSP, paid tribute to the firefighters who tackled the blaze, saying: “Their sheer bravery and professionalism must be commended.
“Scotland’s communities are lucky to have our valued firefighters, who stand ready to put their personal safety at risk in order to save others. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Community Safety Minister @ElenaWhitham responding to a serious fire at the former Jenners building in Edinburgh has said: pic.twitter.com/WjmLCNvxVr
— ScotGov Justice (@ScotGovJustice) January 23, 2023
Meanwhile, Anders Krogh, director of the group AAA United which owns the building, said the damage may not be as bad as first thought.
He said: "Of course, we were devastated to find out about the fire in the Jenners building shortly after it broke out. Our thoughts and appreciation are with the rescue team. Thanks in no small part to great work by workers on site and resolute action from the local fire department.
"The first investigations show very localised damage, only in the lower north side of the building. The overall building is intact, but we still await further investigations over the following days will reveal the total extent of the damage."
"Of course, this is a temporary setback for the refurbishment of the Jenners building. Our plan for the building is first and foremost to help preserve a unique historic building in Edinburgh. Hopefully, we will soon be able to reengage on our ambition to bring the Jenners building back to its original glory. But right now our thoughts are only for the wellbeing of everyone involved."
In a statement released in the hours after the blaze, the fire service’s interim chief officer Ross Haggart said: “The fire at the Jenners building in Edinburgh is a very serious and complex incident and regrettably I can confirm that five of our colleagues have been taken to hospital for treatment and one remains in a critical condition.”
Ross Haggart, SFRS interim chief officer, said in a statement on Tuesday: “The fire at the Jenners building in Edinburgh is a very serious and complex incident and regrettably I can confirm that five of our colleagues were taken to hospital for treatment.
“Four have now been discharged, however, one remains in a critical condition. The families of all those affected have been made aware.
“We currently remain at the scene with one appliance to monitor the building for any remaining hotspots.”
