Second mystery fire in 24 hours

Feb 16 2011 Paisley Daily Express

RESIDENTS were evacuated from their homes early yesterday after a mystery fire swept through a flat.

Detectives are investigating the cause and are treating the incident as suspicious.

Now officers are trying to trace the man who lives in the flat as he was out at the time of the incident.

The blaze took place in the living room of the property in Main Road, Neilston.

The smell of smoke was noticed in the building shortly after 3am yesterday.

As the fire service was alerted, residents from other flats ran outside.

Firefighters quickly brought the flames under control and the damage was said to be minimal.

A police spokesman said: “We are treating this incident as suspicious and anyone with information is asked to ring Barrhead Police Office on 0141 532 6200.”

This was the second house fire in the village since the start of the week.

An unoccupied home in Glen Tarbert Drive was also the scene of a fire on Monday and police are treating that incident as malicious.