Firefighters tackle major fire in Edinburgh's South Clerk Street
About 40 firefighters are tackling a major blaze at a charity shop in the centre of Edinburgh.
Crews were called out to the four-storey building, which includes flats, on South Clerk Street at 05:20.
They discovered a well-developed fire in the shop which had spread from the basement to the ground and first floors.
South Clerk Street has been closed in both directions between Hope Park Terrace and Newington Road.
Eight fire appliances and a turntable ladder are being used.
Incident commander on the scene, Peter Heath, said: "Firefighters have been working very hard to tackle this fire which crews were alerted to just after 5am.
"We have now gained access to the ground-floor shop which was well alight and heavily smoke logged. Flames and smoke had also spread to the floor above when firefighters arrived on the scene.
"Firefighters are using covering jets of water on the front of the shop and the visible fire has been knocked down although the property is still smoke logged," he added.
He said conditions had been challenging for firefighters and very hot.
"We expect to be on scene for some time and road closures will remain in place until firefighting operations are complete."
Crews from Tollcross, McDonald Road, Newcraighall, Marionville, Crewe Toll and Liberton have been involved in the incident.