Overview of the Union Street Fire Incident
It has been over a week since a significant fire consumed a historic Victorian building adjacent to Glasgow Central Station. Demolition efforts are currently in progress, although Scotland's busiest railway station remains partially closed.
Throughout the past seven days, BBC Your Voice has received numerous inquiries regarding the Union Street fire. BBC Scotland News has addressed a selection of these questions.
Why Was a High-Reach Appliance Sent from Edinburgh?
The fire, which started on Sunday 8 March, engulfed the entire building located at the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street, leading to a partial collapse of the structure.
At the peak of the emergency response, approximately 250 firefighters, 18 fire engines, and specialized equipment, including a high-volume pump drawing water from the River Clyde, were deployed to the scene. High-reach vehicles were utilized to apply water from elevated positions onto the fire and the remaining parts of the building.
During First Minister's Questions on Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar stated that the number of high-reach appliances in Glasgow had been reduced from six to two, both of which were undergoing annual inspection on the night of the fire. Consequently, one high-reach appliance was dispatched from Edinburgh.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirmed that two high-reach appliances based in Maryhill and Castlemilk were unavailable but emphasized that these vehicles are national resources strategically positioned across Scotland.
"The first high-reach appliance was mobilised from Coatbridge and arrived on scene within 19 minutes but ultimately was not required for external firefighting operations until almost two hours later," said David Farries, the service's director of operational delivery.
Additional vehicles from Johnstone and Kilmarnock were also deployed at the incident commander's request. On Monday 9 March, three more high-reach appliances arrived as relief crews from Greenock, Falkirk, and McDonald Road in Edinburgh.
Ownership and Legality of the Vape Shop Where the Fire Started
The fire is believed to have originated in a vape shop located at 105 Union Street. The tenants of this shop were reportedly being pursued by a debt recovery service for unpaid business rates, according to BBC Scotland News.
Junaid Retail Limited had been the registered tenant since August 2024 and had not paid non-domestic rates during this period. Business rates are taxes on non-residential properties such as shops and factories, which contribute to funding council services.
The company was being pursued for arrears by a debt recovery service partnered with Glasgow City Council. The registered business address was initially in Hamilton but has recently changed to an address in Glasgow.
The landlord, Afton Estates Limited, confirmed that Junaid Retail Limited remained the occupier after a business rates bill for 2025/26 was returned to the council with a claim that the occupiers had "gone away."
An investigation by the Ferret website revealed that the tenants did not appear to be registered to sell vaping products. The shop was not listed on the Scottish government's statutory national Register of Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers, which is required for legal sale of tobacco or nicotine vapour products.
Failure to register can result in fines up to £20,000 and imprisonment for six months. BBC Scotland News has attempted to contact the current director of Junaid Retail Limited, as listed on Companies House, but has not received a response.
Who Owns the Building?
The building, known as Union Corner, dates back to 1851, predating Glasgow Central Station, which opened in 1879. Ownership of the building is divided, with no single individual or business owning the entire structure.
Title deeds for 105 Union Street indicate ownership by Afton Estates Limited, an Edinburgh-based property company that purchased the block for £540,000 in 2008.
BBC Scotland News requested information from the fire service regarding the last fire safety inspections conducted at the building; however, the service directed them to submit a freedom of information request for this data.
Afton Estates also owns two commercial properties at 62 and 64 St Enoch Square near the St Enoch Centre, as well as a residential building at 10 Mingarry Street in Glasgow's west end.
Michael Tasker is listed as the director of Afton Estates, which was incorporated in June 2001 and is registered at 61 Dublin Street. BBC Scotland News has attempted to contact him but has not received a response.
Who Will Bear the Costs of the Damage?
Glasgow City Council assumed control of the site from the fire service on Thursday and is leading the clearance operation.
Typically, the primary demolition costs would be charged to the building owners and their insurers.
At his party's spring conference on Saturday, First Minister John Swinney announced a £10 million recovery fund to support the council, businesses, and agencies in rebuilding and renewing this vital part of the city. He also stated that the Scottish government would cover the cost of clearing the site.
Public donations exceeding £100,000 have been raised via GoFundMe to assist various businesses affected by the fire, including tattoo shops, hair salons, and nail salons that operated within the building.
The total cost of the damage remains unknown, as does the extent to which insurance will cover the rebuilding expenses.
Will the Council Preserve the Façade?
Glasgow City Council confirmed on Thursday that the "highly dangerous" remains of the B-listed Victorian building would be demolished.
Raymond Barlow, from the council's building standards team, informed the BBC that the building had been "fatally compromised" and that the remaining structure was "highly dangerous." He highlighted that one of the most hazardous elements was a "floating chimney stack," which was prioritized for removal.
The chimney stack on the southern gable has now been removed, and demolition work has progressed to the back wall of the collapsed building.
"We need to start work at one end of the site, take off the highest bits of danger and hopefully that will let us start to access parts of the station and get the station back up before coming to the façade," Barlow added.
The council indicated that the duration of the demolition is uncertain and that it is not feasible to preserve the three-storey sandstone façade by propping it up. It is too early to determine whether any architectural features can be salvaged.
Demolition crews are working continuously, but progress depends on weather conditions, as cranes cannot operate during high winds.
Future Plans for the Union Corner Site
There have been suggestions that the building will be replaced, but details regarding what will replace it or when construction will commence remain unclear.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's The Sunday Show, council leader Susan Aitken stated that planning work would begin this week to determine the future of the now derelict site in the city centre.
Aitken is scheduled to discuss the regeneration of the wider area around Union Street and Gordon Street with a group of experts and council members.
She mentioned that a compulsory purchase order could be a useful tool to facilitate redevelopment due to the complex ownership of the site, though this would involve a legal process.
"We use compulsory purchase orders in Glasgow, more than all of the other local authorities in Scotland put together," she said.
"But they are legally challenging and they are expensive as well, so there is a lot that is beyond the reach of the council."
"I would like the council to have far stronger powers to enforce the care of city buildings or remove their ownership," Aitken added.
