A private security firm has been drafted in to supply round-the-clock protection at a Perth high-rise following a spate of fires.
Residents at the Pomarium Street flats were assured immediate action was being taken to prevent further incidents during a meeting with police, housing officers and fire chiefs on Monday night.
Fire crews have been called to twin blocks four times since the end of October.
At least one of the blazes was started deliberately, local manager David Anderson confirmed.
Thirty people were evacuated from the eight-storey building after a fire in a ground floor bin store on December 22.
But Mr Anderson said there was a question mark over the two most recent cases on January 5 and 9.
“They were somewhere between deliberate and careless,” he said.
“We can’t be certain, but it is maybe too much of a coincidence.”
A firework was blamed for the first call-out on October 27.
About 20 residents gathered at the Queen’s Hotel to discuss recent events. They were told that caretaker cover had been increased, while a security firm had been appointed “to give further reassurance” to residents.
Perth and Kinross Council’s head of housing Clare Mailer said: “We have appointed an external security company to provide 24/7 patrols of the flats. They will be there for at least two weeks and we can continue that afterwards if needs be.”
Meanwhile, officers are looking at installing new sprinklers and smoke detector equipment inside bin stores. They are also considering locks on bin chutes, after two of the fires were thought to have been sparked by discarded cigarettes.
“Three fires here in such a short space of time has given us cause for concern,” said Ms Mailer.
“The key thing for us is to reassure tenants that we are taking these incidents seriously, while supporting them in any way we can. We are listening to what measures they would like us to take forward.”
During the meeting, the option of a 24-hour concierge received a mixed response.
Ms Mailer said: “We need to listen to residents and have a full consultation on what they would like to see.
“In wider terms, we are working on a capital improvement plan for the flats, over and above the measures that we discussed today. We hope to share details of that project with the residents soon. It will really enhance the building and also the environment.”
Councillor Chris Ahern, vice convener of housing and community, said: “I have been very encouraged by what the housing team and the fire service are doing. It’s clear they are listening to residents.”
PC Scott Birrell, community police officer for Perth, urged anyone with information about the fires to get in touch.
