Glasgow fire: Union warns SNP over firefighter job cuts and station closures
Fears have been raised over the amount of funding the Scottish government has handed firefighters in the wake of the Glasgow city centre fire.
Union bosses have raised “public concerns over proposed job cuts and station closures” in the wake of the Glasgow city centre fire.
The Fire Brigades Union has warned the blaze, which hundreds of firefighters tackled, highlights “the need for a fully resourced and properly funded fire and rescue service” by the Scottish government.
John McKenzie, Scottish regional secretary for the Fire Brigades Union, said: "With reports of other large scale incidents taking place at the same time, a major incident like this highlights public concerns over proposed job cuts and station closures planned for Scotland's Fire and Rescue Service and confirms the need for a fully resourced and properly funded fire and rescue service.”
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In response, community safety minister, Siobhian Brown said: “The First Minister visited the scene and thanked the firefighters and other emergency responders for their extraordinary efforts since Sunday afternoon.
“I would like to echo those sentiments – the fact that there have been no reports of serious injuries is a testimony to the professionalism and dedication of those involved in this very significant operation.
“The 2026-27 draft Budget includes almost £436 million for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) – an increase of £23.8 million.
“Our investment will support delivery of frontline services and help to ensure SFRS continues to deliver the high standard of service needed to keep communities safe.”
Assistant Chief Officer David Farries praised crews for the “fantastic work” they carried out with partners to limit the fire, which started in a vape shop in Union Street.
He told journalists it was not known exactly what was inside the building where the fire started.
He said: “We’re not sure at this time, in terms of what the contents of the properties were at that point. Clearly, we were mobilised to an incident in what was a vape shop on the street.
“But we need to do full investigations with our multi-agency partners to understand the nature of the fire and understand why the fire spread the way that the fire did.”
First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government was open to changing regulations on vape shops in response to the incident.
“If the fire did start in the vape shop, which is what I’ve certainly been briefed was the case, then it will raise issues about the safety of such premises and it’s vital that we examine all of those issue with an open mind,” he said.
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“I give the public an assurance the government will do exactly that and to determine whether there are safety issues that have to be addressed.”
Prof Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science and director of research, from Imperial College London, suggested that the incident shows “an extensive failure of fire safety”
He added: “My concern is about the possible role of the many Lithium-ion batteries reportedly stored in the shop where the fire began on Sunday.
“That must now be examined carefully by the investigation. If batteries were materially involved, this may not have been a conventional shop fire.
“Lithium-ion battery fires tend to be unusually resistant to suppression, because they are designed to be protected from water, but generate intense heat, reignite, and in large numbers can result fire conditions that are difficult to bring under control.
“That could help explain why even a highly trained and well-equipped force like the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service faced such difficulty in suppressing the initial fire.”
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