A historic department store building on Edinburgh's Princes Street has been engulfed by a large fire, causing significant disruption to rush hour transport services. Firefighters were called to the blaze at the old Debenhams building at approximately 2:50am on July 9, 2026.
Firefighting response and injuries
Seven fire engines and three specialist appliances remain at the scene as crews work to control the inferno. According to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, there have been no reports of injuries. Footage from the scene shows flames completely consuming the Victorian-era building, which has been vacant since the department store closed in April 2021 following a previous fire on the ground floor.
Transport chaos during rush hour
The fire has thrown morning commute services into chaos. Edinburgh Trams announced that trams are running a partial route from Edinburgh Airport to the West End only. Ticket acceptance is in place with ScotRail between Edinburgh Gateway and Edinburgh Waverley (St Andrew Square), and on Lothian Buses between the West End and Newhaven. Several bus services have been diverted away from the affected area.
Plans for the building
Prior to the fire, plans had been introduced to convert the historic building into a luxury hotel. The site had been closed since April 2021 after a ground-floor fire, and its future redevelopment was seen as a key project for the city's central shopping district.
