Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews were sent to the two-storey premises at Clydeshore Road in the town’s Kirktonhill area around 3.40am and first responders arrived six minutes later to find the first floor and roof were already well-alight.

The incident commander, Station Manager Dougie Boyd, said: “Firefighters were deployed at strategic positions outside the building to tackle the fire using several high pressure jets.

“An aerial rescue pump was sent from Clydebank to assist the two initial crews from Dumbarton Community Fire Station and this meant water could be applied to the fire from an elevated position.

“Once the main seat of fire had been knocked down firefighters gained access to the building to extinguish small pockets of fire.” A building control officer from West Dunbartonshire Council attended the scene and the incident was passed to the control of police shortly before 10am.

This is the second instance of fire on a derelict building in just over a week.