Demolition work has commenced on a Victorian building severely damaged by a fire near Glasgow Central station, an incident that forced the closure of Scotland’s busiest railway hub earlier this week. Glasgow City Council initiated the action, citing public safety concerns as the structure continued to collapse since the blaze erupted on Sunday afternoon.
The fire began in a vape shop on Union Street, rapidly spreading through the premises and around the corner, leaving only the facade at the junction with Gordon Street intact. The incident led to the complete shutdown of Glasgow Central, although services on its lower level resumed on Wednesday. The main section of the station is expected to remain closed for the remainder of the week.
Control of the site was formally transferred from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to Glasgow City Council on Thursday. In a statement, the council said: “We are now in control of the Union Street site, and after a full and final assessment of the remaining structure our Building Standards team have decided that demolition must happen in the interests of public safety.” On Friday, demolition vehicles arrived at the site and began the slow process of dismantling the building. Workers could be seen in a cage suspended from a crane removing the remains of a chimney stack on a neighbouring property.
Network Rail said all available options for safely reopening the station were being explored, including a possible partial or phased reopening of some platforms. Engineers have so far not identified any significant structural issues with the station, and damage, mainly due to water ingress, appears to have been contained to a small office on the Union Street side and a small part of the glazed area above it.
Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “Our teams are prepared to carry out the detailed inspections, cleaning, repairs and operational checks that may be required, depending on the findings of the local authority’s assessment. We’re committed to completing this work as quickly and safely as possible once the station is returned to us.” At the height of the incident, 18 fire appliances and specialist resources were at the scene. Assistant chief officer Jon Henderson of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service praised the response, noting that no firefighters or members of the public were hurt and that some of Glasgow’s most iconic buildings were saved from further damage.
