The military commander in charge of providing cover in Scotland during the firefighters' strike has said he was "pleased" with the performance of army personnel.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson said it had been a busy night for the armed forces who took over firefighting duties at 1800 GMT on Wednesday.

Regular firefighters are taking 48-hour strike action, the first of several planned stoppages, in a dispute over pay.

However, in a number of cases striking crews responded to assist the Army's Green Goddess fire tenders.

A fire in Rutherglen closed the rail line

Brigadier Jackson said: "Overall I am pleased with the way that the MoD (Ministry of Defence) has picked up the operation, and indeed with the performance of those crews which have been in operation overnight."

The most serious test for the armed forces was a blaze which closed the main west coast rail line near Glasgow.

Two of Green Goddesses extinguished the blaze at a disused garage close to the line near Rutherglen.

Smoke inhalation

Meanwhile, the Fire Brigades' Union said a striking crew from Bo'ness Fire Station responded to a blaze in Grangemouth on Thursday morning.

Two Green Goddesses were at the scene but the regular crew took control of the incident when they arrived.

Twenty people were evacuated from a block of flats and an elderly woman and two children are being treated for smoke inhalation.

An FBU spokesman also confirmed that pickets at Falkirk fire station helped free a woman trapped in a car.

Fire facts

Scotland has 4,588 full-time firefighters 2,799 part-time firefighters 1,200 volunteer firefighters 520 fire engines 30 aerial appliances 14 rescue and emergency vehicles 59 other specialist vehicles 109 Green Goddesses will be used in Scotland

In Edinburgh, a family were taken to hospital after a blaze at an empty flat in Muirhouse Avenue, Drylaw. No one was seriously injured.

One woman was taken to hospital in Glasgow after a fire on the 21st floor of a high rise in Stirlingfauld Place, south of the city centre.

Also in Glasgow, a derelict building in Torryburn Road, Barmulloch, was being left to burn out due to the limited capability of the Green Goddess.

The military firefighters were unable to reach the fire on the roof of the 150ft building.

The 48-hour strike began after pay talks between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the UK Government broke down.

The union, which is demanding a 40% pay rise, rejected a 11% offer recommended by an independent review.