Firefighters remained at the scene of a major blaze at Strathmartine Hospital on Tuesday evening.
Nine appliances were called to a one-storey building at the site on the Angus-Dundee border at 3.15pm.
Police were also called to the scene, with the road leading to the hospital closed as the incident was dealt with.
Just sent in by a resident close to the hospital – no sign of the single story Ward 16/17 but traces of the Main Building right behind it. Road closed off. 9 fire appliances and Police in attendance. pic.twitter.com/pIesm9bAzi
— Strathmartine (@Strathmartine) July 2, 2019
A fire and rescue spokeswoman said that appliances were sent from Macalpine Road, Blackness, the Kingsway and Balmossie.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control by early evening but two pumps remained at the scene long into the evening to damp down hotspots.
The road surrounding the hospital remained closed with diversions in place.
The former hospital on the Angus/Dundee border was decommissioned in stages from the mid-1980s but has taken a pounding by vandals since it finally closed in 2003.
Monifieth and Sidlaw Conservative councillor Craig Fotheringham said: “This is just getting out of hand.
“We cannot have this community being faced with this constant vandalism as Strathmartine is a lovely area and the residents deserve to live there in peace and not fear.”
Argh!!! @jonbradyphoto pic.twitter.com/QbPkz06j5t
— Strathmartine (@Strathmartine) July 2, 2019
Authorities have used increased police patrols, CCTV, and talks in schools in an attempt to tackle repeated arson and vandal attacks but with little success.
Figures for the 2018-19 financial year show there were 120 deliberately-set secondary fires in Angus, five more than last year.
It comes after firefighters were called out to tackle a blaze on the roof of the building on the evening of June 7.
At its height 30 firefighters battled the incident in ward six, spending more than four-and-a-half-hours tackling the blaze.
Last April ministers issued permission in principle for the redevelopment, subject to a planning obligation being entered into before work starts relating to conditions including education contributions of around £10,000 per house split between Strathmartine Primary and Forfar Academy, and a 22% affordable housing contribution.
Developer Heathfield Limited has around four years before planning permission expires, with Angus planning boss Kate Cowey already having warned councillors there has been little recent dialogue with the company on the project’s future.
The main administration and ward blocks are category B listed buildings, meaning they are of special architectural or historic interest.
