St Andrews University fire: Crews attend “well-developed” fire at ancient uni attended by Prince and Princess of Wales

Fire crews remain at the scene of a blaze at St Andrews University. Four appliances were dispatched to the “well-developed” fire in the New Technology Building on North Haugh on Wednesday (January 14).

The university said there was a “great deal of smoke” and staff in nearby buildings had been advised to remain indoors. There are no reported casualties.

The university reported shortly before 5pm that the blaze in the single-storey building was now “under control”, but fire crews remained at the scene.

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service remain on scene damping down,” a spokesperson said. “The fire appears to have been contained to a storage area in one corner of the building, although we expect the wider premises to be considerably affected by smoke and water.

“It is safe to come and go from North Haugh buildings outside the close cordon set up by the fire service, and we’re very grateful to our staff for their co-operation and support. We will be reaching out as soon as possible to schools and units who may be affected by loss of access to this building. Investigations will now take place to establish the cause.”

A fire service spokesperson said earlier: “We initially mobilised two appliances, and then made up to four appliances. The call came in at 2.24pm and then made up to four appliances at 2.35pm.”

They added that it had been a “well-developed fire located in the front right of the building”.

The University of St Andrews is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and is the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world, after Oxford and Cambridge. The educational establishment boasts many notable alumni including eminent mathematicians, scientists, theologians, philosophers, and politicians, but is perhaps best known for being the place William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, met.