EMERGENCY services responded to a blaze on Alloa’s Mar Place last Thursday (23 July).

A large number of Scottish Fire & Rescue Service appliances were sent to the scene and the road was completely blocked off as crews tackled the fire at an industrial premises near Mar Place’s junction with Kellie Place in the afternoon.

It is understood that the building, half of it which was saved but the other part of has been completely destroyed, was used to store costumes and props for shows at Alloa Town Hall.

The Advertiser also understands that the building on fire was Greenfield Stores and that a joint investigation between Police Scotland and Scottish Fire & Rescue Service’s Fire Investigation Unit concluded that the fire was not started deliberately and that there was no element of criminality.

Scottish Fire & Rescue Control initially received a call of the “well-developed” fire within the storage depot at 12.27pm.

Appliances from Alloa, Tillicoultry, Stirling, a water carrier from Larbert and an Aerial Ladder Platform from Falkirk as well as a support appliance all attended the scene.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus used three hose reel jets and two main jets to tackle the blaze.

The roof of the building collapsed shortly after the crews arrived.

Scottish Fire & Rescue Service group manager, Gordon Pryde, was at the scene. He said at the time: “When the crews arrived the building was well-alight and fire had spread to the roof.

“The crews turned up very quickly, accessed the building and worked hard to extinguish the fire.

“We are now checking for any fire spread and will extinguish the fire within collapsed areas, when it is deemed safe to enter the affected area.” He added: “Half of the building has been saved but half is completely destroyed. There were a lot of costumes in the building, the material of which is highly flammable.”