What do we know about the Union Street fire?

Scotland’s busiest railway station has been closed until further notice after a fire tore through a historic building in Glasgow city centre.

The alarm was raised around 3.45pm on Sunday after a fire was reported at a ground-floor shop on Union Street.

Flames soon spread and engulfed the B-listed Victorian building, which was home to dozens of businesses.

The building has been significantly damaged, with the four-storey building now partially collapsed and the iconic dome destroyed.

But what actually happened, and what does it mean for the future of the station?

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Scotland’s busiest railway station closed after huge fire rips through historic building

All trains cancelled and businesses in the area destroyed after blaze breaks out at vape shop in Glasgow city centre

What caused the fire?

While the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has said it cannot “speculate on what happened”, it is believed the fire initially started in a vape shop on the ground floor of the building.

Assistant chief officer David Farries said an investigation is needed to understand why the fire spread as it did.

He told journalists it was not known exactly what was inside the building where the fire started.

He said: “We’re not sure at this time, in terms of what the contents of the properties were at that point. Clearly, we were mobilised to an incident in what was a vape shop on the street.

“But we need to do full investigations with our multi-agency partners to understand the nature of the fire and understand why the fire spread the way that the fire did.

“Clearly, we’ve stopped the fire spreading at the Grand Central Hotel, which was a huge effort from our crews.”

The fire tore through the historic building on Sunday Garry McHarg

Videos shared on social media appear to show smoke pouring from the shop and an initial police cordon being set up.

In one video, a man can be seen running towards the shop with a fire extinguisher, before being pulled away by others following an explosion inside the premises.

Network Rail shared a picture of the impact of the blaze Network Rail via Supplied

The flames spread quickly, causing the building’s facade to crumble and eventually reaching the dome of Union Corner, at the junction of Union Street and Gordon Street.

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, as the station and nearby Voco Grand Central Hotel were evacuated.

More than 200 firefighters have been involved in the effort to make the area safe, with three fire engines on the scene into Monday afternoon to continue dampening down.

How long will the station be closed?

National Rail said the station will remain closed until further notice, with “no estimate on when the station will reopen”.

All train services have been cancelled as of Monday.

Any passing through services will not call at Glasgow Central low level but will instead stop at Argyle Street and Anderston.

Services from Glasgow Queen Street are not affected, and the Caledonian Sleeper will start its journey on Sunday night from Edinburgh.

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As far as any future departures go, Network Rail has said they will provide more information when available, and how any refund processes will work if required.

While the fire was prevented from spreading to the station building, it is likely to have sustained flooding from a high-volume pump drawing water from the River Clyde.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “Glasgow Central Station remains closed following the fire in a building on Union Street on Sunday.

The fire began on Union Street. STV News

“While the fire is now under control, emergency services are still on site, and we continue to support their response.

“The station will remain closed today and likely tomorrow. Timescales for reopening will only be confirmed once we are able to safely gain access and carry out the necessary checks.

“All services to and from Glasgow Central are currently suspended, and passengers should continue to follow alternative travel arrangements as advised by their train operators.

“We will provide further updates as soon as more information is available.”

What businesses have been destroyed?

Over £40,000 has now been raised for over 30 businesses that have been destroyed by fire.

Blue Lagoon, Sexy Coffee and Subway are some of the more well-known names affected, but many other small business owners have also had their livelihoods destroyed.

You can see the full list of businesses affected below:

What is the history of Glasgow Central Station and Union Street?

Glasgow Central opened its doors in the heart of the city in 1879 and has since grown from eight to 15 platforms.

It was built to connect Glasgow with cities in England, especially London, during the rapid industrialisation, including the success of the city’s shipbuilding industry on the River Clyde.

It served as a temporary mortuary during World War I, and during World War II, the entire station was painted black to avoid attracting the attention of the Luftwaffe.

The station’s glass roof is one of the world’s largest, with 48,000 panes covering 2.2 square miles.

A refurbishment of the station took place ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which included transforming the Union Street entrance, Low Level station, main concourse washrooms and installing ornate ironwork to complement the original station design.

Glasgow Central dome has loomed over pedestrians near Glasgow Central Station for more than 100 years, and the building was a historic, multi-story office and retail corner block.

Union Corner, which dated back to 1851, featured a prominent dome and was previously known for neon signage on its corner, such as the Bell’s Scotch Whisky sign and Irn Bru advert.

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney wrote on X: “One of the iconic postcard views of Glasgow’s Renfield Street for 175 years destroyed in twelve hours. Sickening.”

The gates at the Gordon Street entrance of Glasgow Central were restored in 2012. SNS Group

What have the authorities said?

John Swinney said the damage was “enormous” while Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said it was “very upsetting” to see the destruction caused.

The First Minister also said the Scottish Government is willing to help Glasgow City Council with the financial consequences of the fire outside Central Station.

He said: “The Government recognises that there will be a significant financial cost arising out of this incident.

“We’re in the early days of all of that. But I want to signal our willingness to support Glasgow City Council and to support them financially in dealing with the consequences, which will be immediate, significant and unexpected.”

Swinney also said there needs to be a detailed investigation, and he is “open-minded” about the issues around vape shops.

“If the fire did start in the vape shop, which is what I’ve certainly been briefed was the case, then it will raise issues about the safety of such premises, and it’s vital that we examine all of those issues with an open mind,” he said.

It took a “huge effort” from fire crews to prevent the blaze outside Glasgow Central station from spreading to a nearby hotel, a senior officer with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has said.

Assistant chief officer David Farries said an investigation is needed to determine what caused the spread of the fire, which he confirmed started in a vape shop.

Rail union TSSA has said the huge fire demonstrates the importance of safety across the railways.

TSSA general secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, said: “Without doubt, this terrible fire again shows the vital importance of safety across our rail network and all associated infrastructure.

“It’s terribly sad to see such an iconic part of Glasgow city centre destroyed by fire, however our union is thankful there seems to be no loss of life.

“Our members would have been working in and around the station and we pay tribute to them as well as members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts under very difficult circumstances.”