Blaze fears turn out to be smashed bottles

Nov 26 2009 by Bryan Brough, Paisley Daily Express

POLICE and firefighters raced to the East End of Paisley yesterday morning after worried residents reported the sound of explosions in the street outside their homes.

They claimed small fires had erupted on the roadway just a few hundred yards from Paisley Grammar School.

When the emergency services arrived at the scene, they found broken glass lying on the ground but no trace of a fire.

The drama happened shortly before 7am yesterday in Dunn Street.

One woman said a neighbour had alerted the emergency services to report the sound of petrol bombs exploding in the street.

She added: “I’ve heard someone was chucking what are known as molotov cocktails onto the road.

“The police and a fire crew turned up, so it was obvious they were treating it seriously.

“It wasn’t the kind of thing you expect to see at seven in the morning.”

Yesterday, police said a man was detained near the scene after he was accused of throwing bottles from a top floor tenement window.

One officer added: “A man was taken into custody following an incident in Dunn Street and he may now face a breach of the peace charge.

“I can confirm that no-one was hurt during this incident.”