Falkirk residents living in fear as bin fire frenzy continues

There have been early morning fires in bin stores at blocks of flats in Teviot Street on Sunday, February 28 and Sunday, March 14 and just yesteday – in the afternoon this time – bins were set alight in nearby Derwent Avenue.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called around 2.50pm to a report of a fire in an outbuilding on Derwent Avenue, Falkirk. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”

It is believed Scottish Fire and Rescue Service made Police Scotland aware of the incident on Sunday but officers were not required to attend. On that occasion firefighters in two appliances sped to the block to extinguish the blaze, which had broke out in the bin store at the entrance of the property.

People living in the Teviot Street flats say they are now having to do the “night shift”, staying awake to guard their wheely bins from the attentions of vandals.

Thankfully all the fires have been extinguished quickly and no one has been hurt in any of the three incidents, however, now residents are terrified they might not be so lucky if another fire breaks out.

A tenant, who did not want to be named, said: “There are bin sheds right outside the close doors of the flats with over 30 bins in them. Whoever set the fire, it was like they were trying to block us in here.

"Your talking about 11 flats in each block with families and children’s lives being put at risk. It’s seriously life threatening and we feel like it’s not safe to stay here anymore.

"We’re all doing the night shift to make sure we stay awake to watch the bins.”

Residents stated police have been informed about all the incidents.

One tenant said: “This is disgraceful – people are terrified, quite rightly so.”

People are now calling for CCTV to be installed in the area, believing the bin fires could escalate if something is not done.