Hedgehog killed and dozens rescued in animal hospital fire

Forth Hedgehog Hospital cares for sick hedgehogs in Fife

One hedgehog has died and dozens were rescued after a deliberate fire at an animal hospital in Fife.

Nadia Al-Dujaili, who runs Forth Hedgehog Hospital from two outhouses in her garden in Rosyth, watched as flames took hold of one shed on Wednesday night.

She told BBC Scotland News that 21 hedgehogs were in the affected building, but luckily they were discovered unharmed after the blaze was extinguished by fire crews.

However, a wild hedgehog in a nearby bush was badly burned and later died from its injuries.

Forth Hedgehog Hospital rescues sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs and nurses them back to health, with hopes of eventually returning them to the wild.

Ms Al-Dujaili said the charity had treated over 2,000 hedgehogs since it first opened in 2013.

Nadia Al-Dujaili, who has run the Forth Hedgehog Hospital for the last 12 years, is seen here with raffle prizes to raise money for the centre

A neighbour alerted Ms Al-Dujaili to the shed fire in her garden and phoned the fire service.

She said the fire crews were "amazing" and had put out the blaze in minutes.

"It was over pretty fast but I'm feeling quite traumatised and having nightmares about it," said the 40-year-old.

"They set a log pile on fire and one poor little hedgehog was hibernating in the bushes nearby.

"Despite me trying to save him, he passed away shortly after a passer-by alerted me to him on Thursday. He was badly burned and he would have been in severe, agonising pain."

A neighbour phoned the fire service after spotting the blaze in Nadia Al-Dujaili's garden

Police said they had received a report of a fence on fire which had caused damage to a hut.

A spokesperson added: "It is being treated as wilful and inquiries are ongoing."

Incidents of vandalism

The hospital carried out full health checks on the hedgehogs and they will be closely monitored to ensure they have not been impacted by the smoke.

"It's really affected me mentally," said Ms Al-Dujaili. "I was shocked, I was overwhelmed, I was crying. One fire can have an impact on so much.

"I've put my life and soul into this place for 12 years. And it's a charity run by the public so that's public money that's gone up in flames.

"There are disabled people who come and see the centre but I can't have them seeing that. The people who set the fire didn't think how far down the line the impact would go."

She said there had been "so many incidents" of anti-social behaviour and vandalism around Rosyth recently.

The exterior of the shed was badly burnt but the interior is still intact

Ms Al-Dujaili said the damage was mostly cosmetic, but she has launched a fundraiser as the shed will need a new roof as well as a new boundary fence.

"It was an expensive log cabin-type shed with good wood - and I'm lucky that it was," she said. "Because if it was just a flat-packed shed, it would have been gone.

"So I'm trying to bear in mind that it could have been a lot worse."

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the fire at about 19:40 on Wednesday.

A spokesperson added: "Operations Control mobilised one fire appliance and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting a large quantity of rubbish.

"There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe."

Police Scotland have been approached for a comment.