4/7/2008Fire Chief Hits Out As Thugs Attack Crews
Around 20 firefighters from Springburn, Easterhouse and Parkhead were fighting the flames at the former Littlehill Primary in Craighead Avenue, when they came under attack.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said a vehicle was damaged as youths threw stones.
Incident commander Garry Milne described the attack as "mindless physical and verbal abuse."
Crews were also affected by poor water supply and had to run hoses from nearby Provanmill Road.
But they managed to prevent the flames spreading to the nearby Molendinar Family Learning Centre, where several community projects are based, including a nursery.
The fire broke out around 6.45pm and the following morning firefighters were still damping down what was left of the building.
Smoke was still visible through the mangled roof space and it is now likely the building will be demolished.
It has been empty for more than a year, although the local community council hoped it could be re-opened for projects and workshops.
Residents at new homes overlooking the fire-hit school were horrified.
Nikki Carlton said: "I arrived home and all I could see was a mass of flames. Smoke was billowing over the top of our houses and it was frightening."
The cause of the fire is not known and is being investigated.
On Thursday night thousands of pounds of damage was caused after Craigielea Primary School in Blackstoun Road, Paisley, was hit by fire.
It caused extensive damage to the staffroom and toilets.
i wrote to the times after this event and i want to state that while i totaly admire the job the firemen do and would not condone any violence whatssoever, nearly every resident that was there that nite that i have brought this subject up2 will say there was no stone throwing or violence towards the men tackling the blaze. again i will not say that maybe after all the residents decided they had seen enough that it may have started then but what i want to point out is there are many many good people who live in the area and while watching the specticale thats become common place in our communities that they wouldn't allow this type of activity to go unchallanged and if they did then they should hang their heads in shame becouse as well as giving the area another tag as not a nice area its telling the city of glasgow that we allow this type of thing to happen, the community has a very low empathy that is clear and its got a rough rep which is a shame for the majority of the good and honest folk that live and say they come from hear with pride, we are by no means perfect as an area but there isnt any that are so my point is if this incident happend, name and shame the culprits, and if its unjust then stand up and say its such