As more than a dozen fire engines continue to battle a massive blaze in the heart of Glasgow that broke out on Sunday afternoon, train network operator ScotRail has confirmed that Glasgow Central station will be fully closed to commuters come Monday morning.
Crews from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to Union Street in Glasgow just before 4pm on March 8. A spokesperson for the fire serrvice confirmed that crews remain at the scene of “a significant fire in a shop next to the station” on Union Street.
The fire is still well lit, and appears to have engulfed several floors of the four-storey building in which it is housed. A spokesperson for the fire service said in a 2am update that 18 fire appliances and specialist resources have been dispatched to the scene, including three high-reach vehicles and a water rescue team.
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The enormous inferno has left locals stunned by the sheer size of the blaze – ScotRail have now confirmed that no train services will run to or from Glasgow Central high level on Monday.
Some ScotRail services pass through the station to stop at Argyle Street and Anderson stations on Monday, but no services will stop at the low level section of the station, either.
The rail station shut down is likely to turn the Monday rush hour commute into utter bedlam, with ScotRail service delivery director Mark Ilderton adding that there will also be limited replacement transport available.
“Unfortunately, we will not be able to operate train services in or out of Glasgow Central high level tomorrow following the impact of the major fire near to the station,” Mr Ilderton said.
“Our trains which operate via Glasgow Central low level will continue to run, but will not stop at the station. We are sorry to customers for the impact this will cause, and we would urge them to check their journey options before they travel, and we aware there will be very limited replacement transport.”
He added that customers can stay updated of any changes ” via our social media channels, and you can also visit our website, or use the ScotRail app to find out what services will be operating”.
As of the last official update at 2am, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that crews were still working “to extinguish a large building fire on Union Street”.
The service advised anyone in or around Glasgow to “avoid the area if possible, and residents should keep their windows closed”.
Thankfully, there have been no reported casualties but firefighting crews do remain at the scene.
