A woman is in a critical condition in hospital after her clothing appeared to catch fire in St Leonards Street, Edinburgh, at around midday on Monday
A woman is in hospital fighting for her life after her clothing appeared to catch fire in the middle of a busy Edinburgh street.
Emergency services were called to the incident on St Leonards Street at around 12.10pm on Monday. The woman suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.
Footage seen by our sister title, the Daily Record, but deemed too distressing to publish, shows the woman writhing on the ground and trying to kick off her trousers as flames engulf the lower half of her body.
Members of the public, including two Royal Mail workers, can be seen trying to help by using clothing and a blanket in an attempt to smother the flames. A woman is also seen running towards the scene and throwing water at the fire, but her efforts are in vain.
The clip ends with the woman lying on the pavement as passers-by continue trying to extinguish the flames. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the fire before leaving the incident with police.
It remains unclear how the fire started, but police said there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 12.10pm on Monday, 22 June, 2026, police were called to a report of a seriously injured woman outside flats on St Leonards Street, Edinburgh.
“The woman was taken by ambulance to hospital where medical staff describe her condition as critical. There do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. Enquiries are ongoing.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received reports of a fire at Carnegie Court Corner on Bowmont Place at 12.10pm on Monday June 22. Two appliances were mobilised and extinguished the fire. The incident was left with Police Scotland.”
