Blaze Erupts Outside Livingston Shopping Centre Leaves Families Woken
A car left ablaze outside The Centre in livingston in the early hours of March 17 sent flames into the air and the shopping-centre alarm blaring for hours, waking families and prompting an emergency response from fire crews and police.
Fire Crews Mobilised And Scene Cleared
Firefighters and appliances were dispatched to The Centre after a call at 12: 24 am ET. Scottish Fire and Rescue confirmed a vehicle was on fire and that the building itself was not alight. Crews worked at the scene and left at 1: 20 am ET, handing the matter to police for further follow-up.
Response In Livingston
A SFRS spokesperson said: “We got the call at 12. 24am to attend an incident at the Almondvale Centre. We mobilised the wholetime and retained appliances from Livingston. ” The spokesperson added: “We left the scene at 1. 20am. A car was alight and our crews were assisting with the fire. We left it in the hands of Police Scotland. There was some light smoke within the building but our crew ended it. ” Police officers established a cordon around the scene while investigations continued.
Video Footage, Alarm Noise And Community Impact
Shared footage of the incident shows flames bursting from the vehicle as the centre’s alarm sounded. The alarm continued to blare for hours after the blaze, disturbing nearby residents and waking families in the area. It has been confirmed that the alarm noise was heard for an extended period; whether that affected evacuation procedures has not been stated.
Outstanding Questions And Next Steps
Authorities have not confirmed whether any injuries were sustained. The incident remains under the jurisdiction of Police Scotland, who will conduct any necessary inquiries into the cause of the fire and the sequence of events. Emergency services have cleared the scene, and there is no indication that the shopping centre itself caught fire beyond some light smoke that crews reported ending on site.
This account is based on emergency-service statements and recorded footage from the scene. Police Scotland have been approached for comment about the ongoing inquiry and any potential impacts on shoppers or residents in the hours after the blaze.
