A major fire at BBC Scotland's headquarters forced a full evacuation of the building and brought live radio and television broadcasts to an abrupt halt this morning.
Early Morning Evacuation and Emergency Response
The incident began just before 6.30am at the broadcaster's base on Pacific Quay in Glasgow. Staff were urgently evacuated as emergency services raced to the scene. More than 40 firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were deployed to tackle the blaze.
The fire originated in an air conditioning unit on the building's fifth floor. Dramatic footage later shared by the BBC showed flames and smoke billowing from the structure as crews worked to bring the situation under control.
Broadcasting Disruption and Presenters Forced Off Air
The fire caused significant disruption to BBC Scotland's output. The live Radio Scotland Breakfast show, presented by Laura Maciver and Martin Geissler, was stopped mid-broadcast. It was temporarily replaced by a feed from Radio 5 Live.
Television news bulletins were also suspended while the building was cleared. Presenters and production staff were forced to abandon their posts as fire alarms sounded and the evacuation order was given.
Blaze Contained and Services Restored
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the fire was extinguished by 9am. A spokesman for BBC Scotland addressed the incident, stating: ‘The blaze was contained, and we’re grateful to the emergency services for their swift response.’
All staff and on-air talent were confirmed to be safe and well. The spokesman added that normal broadcasting services had been restored later in the day following the all-clear from fire safety officials.
The swift action of the emergency services prevented more serious damage and ensured no one was injured during the alarming incident at one of Scotland's key media centres.
