Woman dies in huge blaze at Paisley flats

A woman has died after a huge blaze broke out in a block of flats in Renfrewshire.

Firefighters were sent to the two-storey building on Belmont Road, Paisley, at about 22:40 on Thursday.

They extinguished a "well-developed fire". Police Scotland said a 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Eyewitnesses captured images of the flames emerging from the roof of the building, which had collapsed.

Area Commander David McCarrey, of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), said: "Firefighters located one woman from inside the property who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

"Our thoughts are very much with her family, friends and all of those affected at this difficult time.

"A joint fire investigation alongside our Police Scotland colleagues is now underway."

It is the second fatal fire in Gallowhill in recent years. In 2020 three children died in a blaze on Renfrew Road which started after a cigarette lighter ignited bedding.

The BBC spoke to a woman named Cheryl who witnessed Thursday's fire.

She said: "I heard the fire engines and a neighbour told me the houses were on fire. The roof was on fire and it was quickly spreading across the building."

Recalling the previous tragedy, she added: "This is a tight knit community which always stands by each other in hard times. When the children died in a fire a few years ago it had a massive impact."

Police have cordoned off the street and firefighters remain at the scene.

Firefighters remained at the scene on Friday morning

The SFRS said it had sent six fire engines and two aerial rescue platforms.

An ambulance and three special operations response teams were also sent by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Anyone with information on the fire has been urged to contact Police Scotland's non-emergency line.