Elected Member Briefing Note 2025, No. 76
About this Briefing Note
Report by: Charlene Guild, Strategic Lead - Projects and Programmes
EMBN Number: 076-25
Date: 22 June 2025
Subject: Fire at former Balhousie Primary School, Perth (update at 11.30am)
Responsible Officer: Lisa Potter, Service Manager - Strategic Communications and Engagement
Details
Purpose
To provide elected members with an update on activity following of a fire in the former Balhousie Primary School in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 22 June 2025).
Briefing Information
Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS) were alerted to a fire in the former Balhousie Primary School at 12.09am on Sunday 22 June 2025. Six fire appliances were sent to the scene. Police Scotland have advised that the fire has been extinguished, but SFRS remain on scene monitoring hotspots.
An Incident Management Team meeting to feedback on actions to date and agree next steps took place at 11am. This briefing note provides an update on the items discussed.
Impact on residents
Around 30 residents were evacuated from neighbouring properties and were transported to the Royal George Hotel. Emergency services advised that it was safe for them to return at around 5.30am. While only one taxi was available at that time to drive residents home, some chose to walk rather than wait for the taxi to relay, and by around 7am all had left the Royal George.
Follow-up visits to impacted residents will be carried out later this afternoon by staff from our Community Support and Enforcement Team. Given the time people returned to their homes care is being taken to balance the wish to check if people require any further support with not wanting to disturb people catching up on sleep.
Road closures
While Police Scotland issued social media messages at around 11am advising that the surrounding roads had re-opened, our staff on site and local residents have advised that closures remain in place. This is being addressed and updates will be shared on social media as the roads re-open.
In the meantime, bus diversion information has been shared.
Management of former Balhousie Primary School site
The former Balhousie Primary School has been vacant since 2023 and is subject to plans for development as affordable housing. The building has steel shutters to all windows at ground level. On Wednesday evening (18 June 2025) we were notified that the building was insecure. This was fixed by our contractor within two hours of notification.
We have had subsequent reports that police attended the site due to reports of in the playground on Thursday, but there were no reports made to Property Services at that time or further reports of the building being insecure.
The Strategic Lead - Property Services has been on site this morning and engineers are arriving this afternoon to assess the condition of the building.
Updated Police Scotland statement
Following the Police Scotland statement referred to in the previous Briefing Note, they have now issued an updated public statement advising that the 18-year-old male who was arrested in connection with the incidents has been released pending further enquiries. In addition the statement advises that the fire is being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
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