A significant fire has broken out at a former primary school in North Lanarkshire, with flames visible shooting from the roof of the derelict structure. Emergency services responded to the blaze at the former Greenhill Primary School site in Coatbridge at approximately 17:20, deploying six Scottish Fire and Rescue crews alongside specialist equipment and aerial appliances to combat the rapidly spreading flames.
Photographs captured at the scene revealed extensive damage to the building, with fire emerging dramatically from the roofline. The intensity of the blaze prompted local authorities to implement immediate safety measures, with Police Scotland closing sections of West George Street and Coltswood Road to prevent public access to the danger zone. Residents in the vicinity were instructed to seal their windows as a precaution against smoke and fumes.
The building itself carries significant historical weight for the local community. Constructed in 1902, it functioned as a primary school for over 110 years before its closure in 2012. Since then, the structure has remained unused, leaving it vulnerable to the kind of major incident now unfolding.
This incident follows a pattern of recent fires affecting disused buildings across Scotland. In early September, firefighters tackled a major blaze at a derelict Glasgow nightclub on Sauchiehall Street, which required nine appliances and specialist resources deployed overnight. Similarly, Keith Grammar School in Moray closed following a Friday evening fire, with preliminary investigations suggesting the blaze was not deliberately set.
Emergency responders remain on site as efforts to extinguish the Coatbridge fire continue. Further updates on the cause and extent of damage are expected as the incident develops.
