A building left ‘seriously compromised’ on Glasgow’s Union Corner following the devastating fire on March 8 is to be demolished, Glasgow City Council has confirmed.
After a full and final assessment of the remaining structure, the local authority’s building standards team have concluded that demolition ‘must happen in the interests of public safety’.
The fire started in the ground-floor of a commercial unit on the city’s Union Street, causing the four-storey structure to partially collapse.
Meanwhile, a cross-government ministerial board has been launched in response to the fire. To be chaired by Scottish Government justice secretary Angela Constance, it will look to ensure that work across the Scottish Government is effectively supporting the city’s recovery efforts. It will also oversee the development of a support package to aid in the recovery process.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, is joining the group’s meetings with ministerial members including Kate Forbes, deputy first minister; Shona Robison, cabinet secretary for finance and local government; Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for transport; Màiri McAllan, cabinet secretary for housing; and Siobhian Brown, minister for victims and community safety.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has launched a multi-agency investigation into the causes of the fire, which is expected to take time given its scale and complexity.
Ms Constance said, “First and foremost I want to pay tribute to the emergency services, and particularly the brave firefighters who fought the blaze. It is an incredible relief that there were no casualties and there is no doubt that without their tireless efforts the fire’s impact would have been far greater.
“The fire has left a scene of ruin in the heart of Glasgow and I am determined that the Scottish Government will stand with the city as it recovers.
“The ministerial board has been established to coordinate the Scottish Government’s response. There are the immediate issues of making the site safe and the recovery of the transport network, with significant ongoing work to return rail and road systems back to normality as soon as possible.
“There are also wider impacts to be considered and managed, not least the impact on affected businesses and the recovery of the site. The board will oversee the development of a support package to aid in the recovery process.
“Undoubtedly this will take time, requiring a significant effort across government, together with partners and stakeholders. The ministerial board will play an integral role to ensure the city can get back on its feet as quickly as possible.”
