Your memories: ‘I worried I’d never see my flat again’
“I lived opposite the Leisureland building on South Bridge at the time of the big fire. Around 8.30pm I noticed fire engines outside, but this was a regular occurrence. Half an hour later, I noticed they had stopped the traffic, and watched as they cleared the street, but I still couldn’t see much except some smoke at the side windows.
“Suddenly the front windows of Leisureland blew out and flames licked up the building. By now I realised this must be serious, but continued to watch as flames leapt out of all the windows. By 10.30pm I was in a total panic as thick black smoke was blowing down the street, so black I couldn’t see anything at all out my windows. All the lights in Niddry Street behind me had gone out,. At 11pm, I saw the roof explode and rain fire over the area.
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Hide Ad“As I was in an attic flat, I thought my building would catch fire too, so I ran out, opening the stair door cautiously in case the black smoke was flowing down the street. Luckily it had changed direction, so I ran outside and found myself in the middle of a police cordon. They asked where I’d come from and let me out, so I went to a pub and stayed with a friend that night.
“Walking to his house along George IV bridge at 1am we were choking with the smoke and I was worried I’d never see my flat again.
“I kept looking at some clothes I’d bought on the morning of the fire in a shop that was burned to the ground. For days after, I had to get a police escort every time I wanted to get back to my flat, but slowly things got back to normal.”