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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Naina Bhardwaj & Sian Traynor

West Lothian children as young as 10 'spoken to' by police after deliberate fire

Two children have been spoken to by police after a deliberate fire tore through a home in West Lothian.

Authorities confirmed that the two individuals, aged 10 and 11-years-old, have been identified after the blaze completely devastated the property in Blackburn.

READ MORE - West Lothian teacher admitted to sleeping with pupil after ex found pictures

A huge emergency response had rushed to the scene on Rowan Terrace on Saturday (January 22) after flames ripped through the building, leaving it in ruins.

Starting to take hold at around 5.40pm, resident Lee-Ann Davis had been at home in her top floor flat when she began to see the fire coming through her air vent from below.

After trying to escape, the mum-of-four had found the exit blocked with items that appeared to have been deliberately set alight, reports the Record.

Although thankfully able to get out of the building unharmed, the 40-year-old has now been left homeless along with her 19-year-old son.

Now staying with family, the pair have been left with only the clothes on their back as enquiries continue into the fire.

An SFRS spokesperson previously said: “We were made aware of a fire at a property on Rowan Terrace in Blackburn around 5.40pm on Saturday, 22 January.

“The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. A neighbouring property was also evacuated.

“The fire is being treated as deliberate and officers are following a positive line of enquiry.”

A fundraiser has been launched to help support the Davis family rebuild their lives.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Two children, aged 10 and 11, have been identified and spoken to by officers under the ACRA (Age of Criminal Responsibility) legislation following a fire at a property on Rowan Terrace in Blackburn which was reported around 5.40pm on Saturday, 22 January.

“The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and a 40-year-old woman was assessed at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.”

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