EuroWire, GLASGOW: Scotland’s busiest rail hub, Glasgow Central Station, will remain closed through Tuesday after a large fire in a neighbouring Union Street building forced emergency crews to shut the station and block rail access to the city centre. Network Rail said all services to and from the station are suspended while safety checks are carried out and access is secured. Official rail usage figures published by the Office of Rail and Road show Glasgow Central recorded about 25.3 million entries and exits in the latest annual count. The closure began on Sunday and has disrupted commuter and long-distance routes.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted at 3.46 p.m. on Sunday to a fire affecting the ground floor of a four-storey commercial building on Union Street. At the height of the incident, crews mobilised 18 fire appliances and specialist resources, including high-reach vehicles and a high-volume pump drawing water from the River Clyde. The four-storey structure partially collapsed and suffered extensive damage, including the loss of its dome. The service said there were no reported casualties. Residents nearby were advised to keep windows closed and avoid the area.
Network Rail said the fire is under control but emergency services remain on site and the station cannot reopen until engineers can safely assess the impact on railway infrastructure. The operator said Glasgow Central would stay closed on Monday and Tuesday, with reopening timescales to be confirmed once access is secured and inspections are complete. The blaze occurred beside the station complex in Glasgow’s city centre, prompting the suspension of services at both the high-level and low-level parts of the station. Passengers were told to check travel advice before setting out.
Transport disruption across the network
ScotRail said no services will operate to or from Glasgow Central High Level on Tuesday. Trains that normally run via Glasgow Central Low Level will continue to pass through but will not call there, with customers directed to Argyle Street or Anderston stations instead. The operator said disruption is expected to last several days, with multiple routes in the west of Scotland suspended or running short, including services to East Kilbride, Neilston, Barrhead and Ardrossan Harbour. Limited replacement bus links were arranged on some corridors into central Glasgow.
National Rail said long-distance journeys to and from Glasgow Central would be affected, with some London to Glasgow services terminating in Edinburgh and onward travel routed through Glasgow Queen Street. Caledonian Sleeper said its overnight services to and from London Euston would start or end at Edinburgh on Monday and Tuesday, with passengers able to use ScotRail trains between the two cities. TransPennine Express cancelled its Glasgow Central services to Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street on both days. Operators advised customers to check ticket acceptance arrangements and refunds before travelling.
Emergency response and investigation
Fire crews continued dampening down and monitoring hotspots on Monday as engineers assessed the stability of the remaining structure. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said more than 200 firefighters had been involved since the initial call, and that eight fire appliances and three high-reach vehicles remained at the scene as of Monday morning. Crews were working to cool stonework and support structural checks after the partial collapse, while the public was urged to avoid the cordoned-off streets near the station. Officials said access would be restored only when safe.
Police Scotland said several city-centre road closures remained in place, including restrictions at Renfield Street, St Vincent Street, West Nile Street and the Broomielaw, and urged drivers to plan journeys and avoid the area. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said there were no reported casualties and confirmed a multi-agency investigation into the cause is under way. ScotRail and other operators maintained amended timetables for Tuesday. Network Rail said the station will reopen only once it can safely gain access and complete the necessary checks.