Blaze at derelict historic Angus church tackled by fire crews

Fire crews have extinguished a serious fire at a derelict historic church in Angus.

Six appliances were sent to the blaze in the former Maison Dieu Church of Scotland building, on Witchden Road in Brechin, shortly before 15:00 on Wednesday.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said crews were met by a “well-developed” fire.

They managed to put the fire out, and there were no reports of any casualties at the building, which dates back to the 1890s.

Flames had been seen breaking through the roof, with smoke drifting into the sky above the building.

The SFRS confirmed: “We were alerted to reports of a fire within a derelict building in Brechin.

“Crews extinguished the fire and worked to make the area safe before leaving the scene as of 17:41.”

The church was designed by Sir George Washington Browne and built in the style of the late classical-neo Georgian revival.

According to the Buildings at Risk register, planning permission has previously been provisionally granted for its conversion into homes.

The Church of Scotland said in a statement: “The Church sold the building to a private buyer in the late 1990s and has not had any dealings with it since then.”