Huge blaze near Glasgow Central station forces closure and widespread rail disruption

Major travel disruption is expected across Scotland after a large fire broke out near Glasgow Central station, forcing the closure of the country’s busiest railway hub. The blaze began on Sunday afternoon at a vape shop on Union Street close to the station, sending thick smoke into the area and prompting a major emergency response.

Network Rail confirmed that Glasgow Central station would remain closed “until further notice”, with officials unable to estimate when the station might reopen. National Rail warned that disruption would continue throughout Monday, with trains unable to run to or from the high-level platforms at the station. Services that normally pass through the low-level platforms will continue operating, but will not stop at Glasgow Central.

The closure has caused widespread disruption across rail routes in Scotland and beyond. Avanti West Coast announced an amended service operating to Preston, Carlisle and Motherwell, allowing passengers to connect with trains to Edinburgh and other services around the Glasgow area. ScotRail warned travellers that many of its services would be delayed or cancelled and urged passengers to check the latest information before travelling.

TransPennine Express also confirmed major changes to its services. The operator said trains would not run between Glasgow Central and Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Airport. In addition, services connecting Edinburgh with Newcastle and Manchester Airport are expected to experience delays and cancellations in both directions.

Firefighters continued battling the blaze into the early hours of Monday morning. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews were first called to the incident at 3.46 pm on Sunday after reports of a fire on the ground floor of a four-storey building. Emergency services remained at the scene as operations to contain the fire continued.

At the height of the response, 15 fire appliances were deployed alongside specialist equipment, including three high-reach vehicles and a water rescue team. Firefighters used the high-reach vehicles to spray water onto the flames from above while attempting to bring the fire under control.

Authorities urged members of the public to avoid the area while the emergency response continued. Despite the scale of the blaze, officials said there had been no reports of injuries or casualties.

The fire caused significant structural damage to the building where it started. Paul Sweeney, Labour MSP for Glasgow, said part of the structure had collapsed during the incident. In a message shared on social media, he noted that the building dates back to 1851 and forms part of Glasgow’s historic city centre architecture.

Sweeney said nearby buildings, including the corner of the Forsyth Building, Caledonian Chambers and the Central Hotel, appeared to have escaped damage. However, he described the fire as a major setback for the Union Street area.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney also expressed concern about the incident, thanking emergency services for their efforts in tackling the blaze. He urged the public to follow travel advice, avoid the area where possible and remain safe.

With firefighters continuing to battle the fire and transport authorities assessing the damage, rail officials have warned that service disruption could continue throughout the day.