Eight people have been rescued from a burning building after a blaze broke out in a tenement building in Edinburgh.

Fire crews rescued a family of four trapped in their home using a hydraulic platform. Fire fighters also rescued a man and woman from the roof of the building, at Croall Place in Leith.

An elderly woman was treated for smoke inhalation along with a 22-year-old female after the blaze broke out on about 4am on Tuesday.

Fire crews tackled the blaze using six breathing apparatus and a high pressure hose reel to extinguish the flames. Two ambulances were at the scene, but no one was taken to hospital.

Charlie Boisseau, 25, an IT director, escaped to the roof via a fire exit, he said: "I opened the front door and found thick black smoke and I couldn't see through it. It was scary."

Investigation

A Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "All residents were evacuated, and we rescued eight people in total.

"The fire broke out in the basement area of the flat, near the stairs, but it is not yet known how it started. We now have an ongoing investigation in to the cause of the fire."

A spokesman for Scottish Ambulance said: "We sent two resources to the flat at Croall Place and two people had to be treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

"However, no one was seriously injured and we didn't take anyone to hospital."