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13 March 2026
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Massive fire shuts down Glasgow Central Station, partial collapse, Scotland
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On Sunday, 8 March 2026, a major urban fire occurred at a B-listed Victorian commercial building built in 1851 (Union Corner/Forsyth House) located at the junction of Union Street and Gordon Street in central Glasgow, immediately adjacent to Glasgow Central Station, Scotland’s busiest rail hub. The fire originated in a ground-floor vape shop and rapidly escalated, leading to structural collapse, prolonged firefighting operations and significant disruption to rail infrastructure. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) mounted a large-scale response involving dozens of firefighters, multiple appliances, specialist equipment and multi-agency coordination with Police Scotland, Network Rail and Glasgow City Council. “Operations Control mobilised six appliances and specialist resources to the scene, where firefighters were working to extinguish the fire on the ground floor of a four-storey building.”
At approximately 15h46, emergency services received reports of an explosion and fire inside a ground-floor vape shop. Flames rapidly spread through the multi-storey structure, producing heavy smoke visible across central Glasgow. The building housed several businesses and was constructed in traditional Victorian style with masonry exterior walls and timber internal floors, which contributed to rapid internal fire spread once ignition occurred.
SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin said, "This has been a significant and complex incident, and our crews have worked tirelessly at the scene since the initial call on Sunday afternoon. This includes limiting further fire damage to nearby buildings, including Glasgow Central train station and to bring a large-scale fire under control. This incident has required significant levels of resource and we will continue to remain on scene so as we move into a recovery phase alongside our multi-agency partners. We understand the disruption this fire has caused and we are grateful for the patience shown by the public as we work to bring this incident to a safe conclusion, before the site is handed over to partner agencies.”
“At its height, 18 fire appliances and specialist resources attended the fire, which was first reported at 15h46. Close to 300 firefighters have been involved in tackling the incident over the course of four days”, said the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in its statement.
Assistant Chief Officer Jon Henderson, SFRS Director of Prevention, said, “This was an incredibly challenging and complex incident which called upon resources and expertise from across the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. We are extremely proud of our staff and incredibly thankful to our partners for helping to bring this incident to a safe conclusion. Despite the scale and intensity of this fire, no firefighters or members of the public were hurt and some of Glasgow’s most iconic buildings were saved from further damage. Throughout the incident, firefighters were supported with food, drinks and offers of support from the local business community and Glasgow residents.”
ACO Henderson added, “The impact of this incident on the Glasgow community is enormous and we are extremely grateful for the patience and generosity shown to our partners and us at the scene throughout. Once the site is secure and safe, a multi-agency investigation will take place.”
ACO Henderson continued, “We recognise that there are important questions being asked about the circumstances behind this fire. This investigation will take time and the priority must be to make the site safe for investigators, the public and surrounding properties. The extensive damage to the building will also have an impact on the investigation and its outcome. We are committed to a full and thorough investigation; we will not speculate on the cause or contributing factors at this time.”
Despite the scale of the incident, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported, largely due to rapid evacuation and emergency response.
Source: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)
At approximately 15h46, emergency services received reports of an explosion and fire inside a ground-floor vape shop. Flames rapidly spread through the multi-storey structure, producing heavy smoke visible across central Glasgow. The building housed several businesses and was constructed in traditional Victorian style with masonry exterior walls and timber internal floors, which contributed to rapid internal fire spread once ignition occurred.
SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin said, "This has been a significant and complex incident, and our crews have worked tirelessly at the scene since the initial call on Sunday afternoon. This includes limiting further fire damage to nearby buildings, including Glasgow Central train station and to bring a large-scale fire under control. This incident has required significant levels of resource and we will continue to remain on scene so as we move into a recovery phase alongside our multi-agency partners. We understand the disruption this fire has caused and we are grateful for the patience shown by the public as we work to bring this incident to a safe conclusion, before the site is handed over to partner agencies.”
“At its height, 18 fire appliances and specialist resources attended the fire, which was first reported at 15h46. Close to 300 firefighters have been involved in tackling the incident over the course of four days”, said the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in its statement.
Assistant Chief Officer Jon Henderson, SFRS Director of Prevention, said, “This was an incredibly challenging and complex incident which called upon resources and expertise from across the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. We are extremely proud of our staff and incredibly thankful to our partners for helping to bring this incident to a safe conclusion. Despite the scale and intensity of this fire, no firefighters or members of the public were hurt and some of Glasgow’s most iconic buildings were saved from further damage. Throughout the incident, firefighters were supported with food, drinks and offers of support from the local business community and Glasgow residents.”
ACO Henderson added, “The impact of this incident on the Glasgow community is enormous and we are extremely grateful for the patience and generosity shown to our partners and us at the scene throughout. Once the site is secure and safe, a multi-agency investigation will take place.”
ACO Henderson continued, “We recognise that there are important questions being asked about the circumstances behind this fire. This investigation will take time and the priority must be to make the site safe for investigators, the public and surrounding properties. The extensive damage to the building will also have an impact on the investigation and its outcome. We are committed to a full and thorough investigation; we will not speculate on the cause or contributing factors at this time.”
Despite the scale of the incident, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported, largely due to rapid evacuation and emergency response.
Source: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)
