Travel disruption to continue after major blaze near Glasgow Central station

Glasgow Central Station (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Travel disruption is expected to last throughout Monday after a fire broke out near Glasgow Central railway station.

National Rail said the station will remain closed with “no estimate on when the station will reopen” following the blaze at a vape shop in Union Street.

“We expect disruption to continue on routes to/from/through Glasgow Central until at least the end of the day,” National Rail said in a statement.

No trains will run to or from the high-level platforms at Scotland’s busiest station, while trains that run through the low-level platforms will not call at Glasgow Central.

Handout video grab of a fire that broke out near Glasgow Central railway station. Dozens of trains were cancelled on Sunday evening following the blaze at a vape shop in Union Street. National Rail said the station will be closed until further notice as crews continued to tackle the fire five hours after it began. Picture: Rajesh Gautam /PA Wire 

Avanti West Coast advised passengers an amended train service will run to Preston, Carlisle and Motherwell, “enabling customers to connect with trains to Edinburgh and local services to the Glasgow area”.

ScotRail warned of substantial disruption to its services and urged passengers to check for the latest information before travelling.

TransPennine Express said its services would not run between Glasgow Central and Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Airport on Monday, while trains between Edinburgh and Newcastle/Manchester Airport will be subject to delays and cancellations in both directions.

As of 5am, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews were still battling the fire, with people urged to avoid the area where possible.

A spokesperson said: “Firefighters were mobilised at 3.46pm on Sunday, 8 March, to reports of a fire on the ground floor of a four-storey building.

“Operations remain ongoing and there have been no reports of casualties.”

On Sunday night, Scottish First Minister John Swinney said in a post on X: “I am deeply concerned about the fire near Glasgow Central Station tonight and very grateful to all of the emergency services who are responding.

“Please continue to follow travel guidance, avoid the area and stay safe.”

Paul Sweeney, Labour MSP for Glasgow, said the building – which housed the vape shop where the fire started – had partially collapsed.

In a post on X, he said the building dates back to 1851.

“Sadly the building has now partially collapsed. I hope the fire can be contained. The corner of the Forsyth Building, as well as the Caledonian Chambers and Central Hotel seem unaffected,” Mr Sweeney said.

“It’s a massive blow to Union Street with the restoration of the Egyptian Halls in prospect.”