Station Manager Neil McKay, of Blackness Fire Station, said, “Last night’s incident was very serious and it was lucky there wasn’t a serious consequence.

“This is becoming an all-too-frequent occurrence and it’s only a matter of time before somebody loses their life because of people setting fire to rubbish left in closes.

“We would urge people not to leave any flammable materials in common closes. It is the only means of escape from tenement blocks, and anybody who sees rubbish or who has any unwanted furniture, should contact the council to arrange disposal.

“In certain cases, if we are made aware of items in a close which constitute a fire risk, we would take action to ensure it is removed. We have an arrangement with the council who would then send out their rapid response team.”

Station manager McKay’s comments came after an abandoned sofa was set alight in a close in Murrayfield Walk just after 6 pm yesterday, trapping some residents in their homes while others had to be evacuated.

Young neighbour Gary Milne first spotted the fire from his mother’s nearby home and alerted the fire service before knocking on a neighbour’s door and raising the alarm. The close was badly affected by smoke and forensic officers arrived on the scene to investigate.

North East ward councillor Willie Sawers also condemned what he called “the actions of the mindless people” who set fires which are clearly putting people’s lives at risk.

“It’s a very dangerous practice,” he said.

“Obviously people have a responsibility to ensure that items likes these are not left in common closes because we can all see the risk this brings.”

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said, “We would encourage anyone who discovers a large item of waste in a common close to contact the waste management department or, if the property is council owned, to get in touch with the local housing office.

“In such cases the council will try to establish ownership of the item in the first instance and assess the health and safety implications, including fire risk.”

A spokesperson from Tayside Police said, “We are treating the fire as suspicious. At the time it was suggested it might have spread into a flat and into the roof space.

“The council were called out to clear the debris.”

‘Should knock this place down’

Meanwhile, residents of Murrayfield Walk claimed today their fire-ravaged block was a neglected place where nobody wanted to live (writes Graeme Strachan).

Resident Billy Shepherd said, “They should knock this place down.”

Tenants in the block were seething at those who abandoned the sofa that was set ablaze and at people who treated the close like a rubbish dump.

Today there were still two fridge freezers lying abandoned on different landings just hours after the blaze.

Billy Shepherd got home at 6pm yesterday but couldn’t get into the block until 7pm. He said the block had been neglected by the council.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Mr Shepherd. “The fire happened at the top of the close, so my flat was okay.

“There was a fire here last year but I don’t know if that was rubbish — I can’t remember.

“There’s no central heating, nothing really…nobody wants to live here. They want to knock the place down if you ask me.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said there were a lot of flats lying empty in the block because nobody wanted to live in Murrayfield Walk.

“Our close is a dive,” he said. “Everything is left in that closey. There’s always rubbish and furniture being put out.

“Every weekend there are junkies in the close. It’s a nightmare living here. Nobody wants to stay here.”

Another resident said it was the second or third time it had happened. “These blocks have been here for 40 years now and I think it’s about time they tore them down. They’re a complete fire hazard.

“There are fires started all the time in this area but it’s a real problem that people keep dumping stuff in the close without thinking about anyone else who lives there.”

In October firefighters tackled a blaze on the third floor of the tenement.

A search was made, but no casualties were reported, and the affected flat was ventilated. The cause was believed to be an electrical fault.

In 2004 they had to rescue a man who fell asleep after leaving his cooker on. Neighbours detected smoke and dialled 999.

Firefighters forced entry to the flat, extinguished a pot of meat which was smouldering on the hob, and rescued the man, who had fallen asleep.