Glasgow Union Street Fire: Everything we know about the blaze that tore through Victorian building next to Central Station
Firefighters remain on the scene 18 hours after the alarm was raised.
The centre of Glasgow has been hit by a huge fire near Central Station on the city’s Union Street.
Emergency service were called to what initially appeared to be a minor blaze yesterday (Sunday, March 9) but the flames soon spread causing the building to collapse.
Here’s everything we know about the fire.
When did the fire start?
The fire started in a vape shop on Union Street at around 3.45pm. A video posted online shows a woman reporting the fire to emergency services and dozens of firefighters were on the scene shortly afterwards.
Explosions were later heard coming from the shop as the fire spead to the upper levels. At around 8pm the building partially collapsed.
What building has been destroyed by the fire?
The building that collapsed following the blaze is a four-storey B-listed building known as Union Corner which was built in 1951.
Architect James Brown designed the building for Glaswegian stationery and publishing company Francis Orr & Sons, and it used to be renowned for the adverts for Irn Bru and Bells Whisky that were displayed on its rooftop.
It was also known for its impressive dome and there were gasps from onlookers when it crashed to the ground at the height of the blaze.
On the ground level the building was used for commercial premises, including a vape shop, a coffee shop, a nail salon and a fish and chip shop. The upper levels were mainly used for office space.
How did the emergency services respond to the fire?
Initially six fire appliances were sent to the blaze but as the severity of the fire became clear more firefighters arrived on the scene.
At the height of the blaze 60 firefighters using 15 fire engines, including three height appliances, were attempting to extinguish the fire.
Is the fire out now?
The fire is now under control but firefighters remain on the scene, using two hoses to pour water into the building and ensure there are no further outbreaks of fire
Was anybody hurt in the fire?
Thankfully there are no reports of anybody being hurt in the fire. The building that collapsed was purely used for commercial, rather than residential, purposes.
Has Central Station been damaged?
At the moment it seems like the impact of the fire on Central Station is minimal. A spokesperson for Network Rail said: "As things stand we've not identified any significant damage to the station. We'll get this fully assessed at first light."
Is Central Station open?
While the station, which is Scotland’s busiest and used by around 25 million people reach year, does not seem to have been damaged it will remain closed today (Monday, March 9) and presumably, given the surrounding damage, for some time to come. National Rail says the station will remain closed with "no estimate on when the station will reopen".
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said: "We are sorry to customers for the impact this will cause, and we would urge them to check their journey options before they travel."
Over 500 trains have been cancelled today, with all ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express and CrossCountry trains to, from, or through Glasgow Central scrapped.
What have the emergency services said about the fire?
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service released a statement saying: "The response to the commercial building fire on Union Street, Glasgow, has now been reduced, with nine fire appliances and three high-reach vehicles remaining at the scene.
"Members of the public are still advised to avoid the area where possible, and nearby residents should keep windows closed as a precaution."
"We were alerted at 3.46pm on Sunday, 8 March, to reports of a fire affecting the ground floor of a four-storey commercial building on Union Street, Glasgow.
"At its height, 18 appliances and specialist resources were mobilised. The incident has since been scaled back and nine appliances, including three high-reach vehicles, remain in attendance.”
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