Old hospital hit by fire

A FIRE at a former hospital in Dumfries is believed to have been started deliberately. Fire crews were called to the main Nithbank building on Lindsay Terrace at 10.29 pm on Saturday night. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Operations control mobilised two fire appliances and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting a three-storey building. “There were no reported casualties and crews left after ensuring the area was made safe.”

Police are now investigating the incident at the 46,188 square foot building, which is B listed. Officers yesterday said they are treating it as a ‘wilful fire’ and appealed for information or witnesses. After operating as a hospital and health board offices for over 100 years, Nithbank was declared surplus to requirements by the NHS in 2018 and put up for sale. An NHS spokesman this week confirmed it is now privately owned and said the fire had not affected surrounding NHS buildings.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the iconic sandstone building, which dates from 1875, went to auction last week with a guide price of £250,000 but failed to sell. It was marketed as a ‘development opportunity’ with ‘potential for commercial or residential’. According to SDL Property Auctions, it will be re-entered into a future auction sale. They also revealed there was no structural damage and said the ‘wonderful staircase’ is still intact.