New drone photos have revealed the devastation caused by a fire at a former Perth school.
A blaze ripped through the derelict Balhousie Primary School, Muirton, in the early hours of Sunday.
Fire crews remained on the scene throughout the day while nearby roads were closed and residents were evacuated as a safety precaution.
Police arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the fire and later released him, pending further inquiries.
Police are treating the incident as unexplained and say investigations are ongoing.
What next for fire-hit former Perth school?
Balhousie Primary School was closed in 2023 due to its deteriorating condition.
Perth and Kinross Council had submitted proposals to transform the 110-year-old building into 26 homes, including one-bed and two-bed flats, and a three-bedroom house.
However, following the fire, those plans are now in doubt.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “As you’ll appreciate, the fire only happened on Sunday and it remains the site of an investigation, so it’s reasonable for us to take some time to assess the condition of the site and what the options are.”
Drone images taken for The Courier show only the walls of the building remain intact, with the roof having collapsed entirely during the blaze.
This was the second major fire to hit Perth in just over a week.
A fatal blaze at a flat on the corner of Scott Street and South Street the previous weekend has left 50 families homeless and several businesses closed while demolition of the building takes place.
First Minister John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, expressed concern following the latest incident.
He said: “News of this fire is very concerning, particularly with local residents still reeling from the recent fire on Scott Street.
“I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and relieved that there have been no casualties as a result of this blaze.”
There are information sessions for those affected by the Scott Street fire on Tuesday and Friday.
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