Partial demolition work starts at tenement hit by explosion

Work to make the building safe is taking place before a fuller assessment of its condition can be made

Partial demolition work has begun on a four-storey Edinburgh tenement block damaged by fire and an explosion.

Police said on Wednesday that a body had been found on the second floor of the property in Fountainbridge.

Work has now begun to make the building safe by removing the most damaged parts but it is unclear at this stage if full demolition will happen.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way, although it is not thought to be suspicious.

A number of roads around the city centre site have been closed since the incident on Tuesday, as has the neighbouring Tollcross Primary School.

However, the school will reopen on Tuesday, except for one section of the property which has been cordoned off for remediation work on the tenement building.

This means the school's primary six pupils will be taught at nearby Dalry Primary School until further notice.

The community centre in the school's grounds, which is near the damaged tenement, remains closed.

A City of Edinburgh Council spokesman said work was ongoing to make the building safe.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "There is no update on the cause [of the explosion] - inquiries are ongoing and investigation work continues at the scene."

Flames were coming from the second floor windows and fire crews had to retreat from the building at one point due to its fragile state