Firefighters tackle third blaze at tenement crossroad

The three-storey tenement building has a dental practice on the first floor and a flat above

Firefighters have tackled a deliberate blaze in a tenement building on a crossroad in the south side of Glasgow which has been the scene of two other fires in recent years.

Crews were called to reports of a fire at the Londis shop on Albert Drive at about 05:30.

Residents were evacuated from the three-storey building, which has a dental practice on the first floor and a flat above.

Two other buildings on the same Victorian crossroads in the Pollokshields conservation area have collapsed after previous blazes.

Four appliances were sent to tackle the fire, which was eventually brought under control. Police Scotland said the blaze was being treated as willful and inquiries were ongoing.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 5.29am on Tuesday, 29 October to reports of a fire at a commercial property on Albert Drive, Glasgow."

Police closed parts of Albert Drive, Kenmure Street, Leslie Street and Keir Street for several hours before they were reopened.

There have been two other serious fires in the same building in recent years

In a Facebook post, musician and artist Tom Urie said he saw the fire from his living room window.

"Londis on the corner is engulfed in flames," he wrote. "The flames are right up the side of the building."

He added: "Within a minute most of the flames were gone but the whole street is engulfed in smoke.

"That is now corner number three to be hit by fire, the other two corners were completely destroyed. But it looks like this time, the fire service got it under control fast.

"Thankfully it looks like no-one was hurt."