Forsyth building blaze forces closure of Glasgow Central station

A fast-moving fire that began in a shop on Union Street gutted the mid-Victorian Forsyth Building, caused a corner dome to fall and forced the immediate closure of Glasgow Central, Scotland’s busiest railway station. Emergency crews were alerted at about 15:45 on Sunday and remained at the scene into Monday morning as operators suspended services and local businesses counted losses.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters continue to work to extinguish a large building fire on Union Street, Glasgow. At its height, 15 fire appliances and specialist resources, including three high‑reach vehicles and a water rescue team, were mobilised to the area. There are no reported casualties, and crews remain at the scene.” By Monday morning crews had scaled back from the peak mobilisation but remained using multiple high-reach vehicles and pumps to douse embers and stabilise the shell of the four-storey B-listed building that dates to 1851.

Network Rail issued a blunt operational notice: “Glasgow Central Station has been closed until further notice, and will not reopen on Monday morning, following a fire at a vape shop on Union Street this afternoon. Emergency services, including Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, are on site and managing the incident. As a precaution, all services through Glasgow Central have been suspended, and passengers are advised to seek alternative travel arrangements. We will provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available.” Dozens of trains were cancelled on Sunday and west coast intercity services due to terminate at Glasgow Central were rerouted to Preston, Carlisle or Motherwell, with operators advising passengers to check before travelling.

The blaze destroyed several ground-floor businesses and severely damaged upper floors. The Blue Lagoon fish and chip shop, Sexy Coffee and Willow hair salon were among premises reported lost or badly damaged. Sexy Coffee posted: “We are absolutely devastated to confirm that the shop has sadly been destroyed in the fire. It is heartbreaking for us and our team, especially after the support and loyalty we have received from so many of you over the years.” The Willow hair salon owner said her business “had been burned to the ground as a result of the blaze.”

Police Scotland established a wide cordon between Gordon Street and St Vincent Street and urged residents to keep windows closed while diversionary transport arrangements fed passengers away from the hub. ScotRail warned that closures would affect Monday services, and local bus operator McGills began accepting some train tickets on alternate routes to ease immediate passenger flow pressures.

Political and civic figures highlighted the twin shocks of heritage loss and transport disruption. John Swinney posted 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, the Labour MSP for Glasgow, said in a post that “the building has now partially collapsed,” noting the Forsyth Building’s 1851 origins and warning the damage was “a massive blow to Union Street with the restoration of the Egyptian Halls in prospect.”

Beyond the immediate human and heritage damage, the closure of a principal transport node will ripple through regional rail operations and the city centre economy, adding pressure to alternative routes and services already operating near capacity. Authorities say investigations into the cause, widely reported as a vape shop ignition, are ongoing and that no injuries have been reported. Reopening timetables remain uncertain while crews complete damp-downs and engineers assess structural safety.