Fifth blaze at old hospital

VANDALS who once again set alight to part of the former Nithbank Hospital in Dumfries on Monday are being sought by police.
Smoke was spotted coming from one of the outlying buildings at the Lindsay Terrace site just after 5 pm.
Fire crews rushed to the historic, but derelict, hospital and were forced to don specialist protective equipment due to the presence of asbestos in the burning building.
The blaze was the fifth time in three years that the site of the former hospital has been targeted.
Firefighters were at the scene until just after 9 pm. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 5.16 pm on Monday, 20 July, to reports of fire affecting a former hospital building on Nithbank in Dumfries.
“Operations Control mobilised three fire appliances to the area, and the fire was extinguished.
“There were no reported casualties, and crews left the area at 9.07 pm after ensuring it was safe.”
The main hospital building was sold for £650,000 in March of this year, but it’s thought no work has yet been carried out there.
Meanwhile, Police Scotland have confirmed that the fire was set deliberately and enquiries are ongoing.
A spokesperson said: “Around 5.40 pm on Monday, 20 July, 2026, we received a report of a fire at a derelict premises in Nithbank, Dumfries.
“The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and there were no reports of any injuries.
“The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”