Apartment building collapses due to fire in Scotland

A 4-story building located in south Glasgow, Scotland collapsed due to an overnight fire that initiated on its ground floor.

The incident occurred on late Sunday, November 11, 2019. According to reports, the fire started on the Strawberry and Spice Gardens grocery store in Pollokshields.

The blaze spread around the building leading to its collapse some hours later. According to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, 60 firefighters with 9 fire trucks rushed at the scene. The fire was taken under control by the next morning and the operation was totally completed by the afternoon. Fire crews remained in the area until Tuesday, November 13 to conduct an “extensive dampening down operation”.

"The fire had initially taken hold within a commercial premise and thereafter affected a number of dwelling flats above. Crews worked through the night to surround and contain the fire which, due to its severity, caused a partial collapse of the building," a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman, stated.

In addition to the building collapse, the fire caused severe issues including power outages, water supply problems and road closures that are expected to last for a while.

Fortunately, there were no victims associated with the incident as all residences had evacuated the building before its failure. One person was treated after breathing in smoke. 20 families were evacuated from the building and were offered shelters by the local community. 

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, visited the scene and later tweeted that the priority is to help those people affected by the collapse. Moreover, the First Minister emphasized on the bravery of fire crews that efficiently handled the situation.

The causes of the fire have not been identified yet. The Police Department is currently conducting an investigation. “While our partners are confident that there are no casualties, a joint investigation into the cause of the fire is under way with the fire service and further updates will be provided when available,” Inspector Mags Brennan, stated.