A MAN has died following a fire in Saltcoats last night (Tuesday).

Just after 7.30pm, emergency services rushed to the scene after reports of the fire in a top floor flat in the town's Raise Street. 

It was sadly confirmed this morning that a man had passed away due to the blaze. 

A spokesman for Police Scotland told the Herald: "Officers were made aware of a fire at a building on Raise Street in Saltcoats shortly after 7.35pm on Tuesday, January 7.

"A 56-year-old man was removed from the property. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

"The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and a joint investigation will be carried out to establish the full circumstances.

"A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course."

SFRS Area Commander Ian McMeekin, the Local Senior Officer for East, North and South Ayrshire, said: “We were alerted at 7.32pm on Tuesday, January 7 to reports of a fire at a property on Raise Street, Saltcoats. 

“Three fire appliances were mobilised to the scene, where crews extinguished a fire within the kitchen of a third-floor flat. 

“Firefighters located and removed one man from inside the property who was treated at the scene by our crews and the Scottish Ambulance Service, however sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

“A joint fire investigation alongside our Police Scotland colleagues is now underway.”