Elected Member Briefing - Update on response to fire at 41 Scott Street, Perth

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Fraser Crofts, Strategic Lead, Environment and Infrastructure

Date: 15th June 2025

Subject: Update on response to fire at 41 Scott Street, Perth

Purpose

The purpose of this briefing is to provide an update on the ongoing response to the fire at Scott Street in Perth city centre.

Briefing Information

Today, Sunday 15th June 2025, emergency services and our Community Support and Enforcement staff have remained at the site of the fire at Scott Street to deal with this ongoing serious incident. Scottish Water, Scottish Gas Networks and SSEN 
have also been on site today.

Structural engineers who were brought in to examine the building at 41 Scott Street have reported that the building was severely damaged during the fire, and that as a result it is structurally unsafe and will need to be demolished. A demolition contractor
has been appointed by the Council, and preliminary work on this has started.

Scott Street and South Street have remained closed to traffic and pedestrians while work is ongoing. Detours and signage remain in place around Perth city centre to provide guidance for drivers.

An update on the probable timescales involved in the demolition process will be issued tomorrow.

Supporting the people affected

The people who live at 41 Scott Street have been supported by our Housing and Social Work staff and the Red Cross at the Salutation Hotel since the incident. They were informed today by our trauma-trained Housing and Social Work staff that the 
building needs to be demolished and that their belongings could not be salvaged.

We have told the residents that we will provide them with suitable alternative accommodation, and Housing staff are progressing that work as a priority.

Staff will support the residents with everything they need in terms of emotional support and practical assistance with essential items such as clothes and household goods. We will also provide access to grant money so they can replace things like 
furniture, and so they have some money to buy the things they need in the short-term.

Social Work staff from the HSCP and staff from our Children, Families and Justice Team remain in closed contact with the residents to provide wellbeing support at this difficult time.

All residents will be given a named person contact they can get in touch with at any time to talk about the support and help they need.

People living in the adjacent block, 33 Scott Street, will also have to be decanted from their homes during the period of time it takes to demolish the building and make the area safe. These residents have been informed, and suitable alternative 
accommodation is also being provided for them, as well as a range of other support.

Residents of several other blocks in Scott Street and South Street have been asked to leave their homes by Police Scotland due to some safety risks associated with the ongoing work to make the area safe. To support these people a new rest centre was 
opened at North Inch Community Campus on Sunday 15th June at 4:30pm. Anyone who has been asked to leave their home, and has nowhere else to go, can report to the Salutation Hotel where they will be transported to the North Inch Community 
Campus.

Perth and Kinross Council staff and the Red Cross will provide food and drink at the centre, and 50 beds are available if people need to stay overnight.

Communications have been issued about the rest centre.

Support for affected city centre businesses
The Council's Business Team has put in place support for businesses affected by the road closures. We have issued communications with the following guidance for 
affected businesses:

•  If a business is affected by the road closures they should speak to the Business Team at 01738 476476 or email at businessdevelopment@pkc.gov.uk
• We have organised a drop-in at Pullar House on Monday 16th June to provide face-to-face support. People should come to reception and ask to speak to the Business Team.
• The Business Team will be in touch with affected business over the coming days to offer further assistance.

Incident Management Team

Our Incident Management Team, made up of senior managers and staff from the Council and the HSCP, has met throughout Saturday and Sunday to manage our response to the incident. These meetings will continue as we move through the 
response phase.

There has been a significant team effort over the weekend by a wide range of our staff including Parking and Civil Contingencies, Housing, the HSCP, Roads, Welfare Rights, Council Tax, Property Services, Building Standards, Communications and 
Procurement.

We will provide further updates as we move forward.