A man is in a critical condition and a child is being treated as a precaution after a flat fire in Drylaw

Emergency services were called to the flat on Ferry Road at around 2am this morning.

A man rescued by firefighters was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI), while a child from another property was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Officers are working with fire crews to establish the cause of the blaze.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Police in Edinburgh are carrying out a joint investigation with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service following a fire in Ferry Road in the early hours of Tuesday January 3.

“A man was taken to the ERI for treatment, where he remains in a critical condition.

“A child from another property was taken to the Sick Kids hospital as a precaution.

“Inquiries to rule out any suspicious circumstances are ongoing and at an early stage.”

Elsewhere, fire crews had to deal with a large gorse fire near Hillend Ski Club on the outskirts of the capital.

Four fire engines were involved in damping down the blaze, which covered an area of 100sq metres, a service spokesman said.