Glasgow’s vape shop fire should be a wake-up call for all of us

Like many Glaswegians on Sunday afternoon, I was preoccupied by the Old Firm Scottish Cup quarter final, as it went to extra time and penalties. 

Glancing at my phone afterwards, I noticed news reports about what seemed to be a minor shop fire on Union Street. It looked like it was under control. 

But, scarcely two hours later, I was watching in horror as the blaze erupted, engulfing one of Glasgow’s most beautiful Victorian landmarks: the B-listed ‘Union Corner’ – which has loomed over the city centre since 1851. 

My first thoughts were a sense of horror that people might be trapped inside, but thankfully it soon became clear that there had been enough time for everyone to get out. Then a deeper dread hit me. 

I saw video footage circulating of the first moments when the fire took hold; inside a pop-up shop selling vapes. A place full of lithium-ion batteries that experts have warned can turn into miniature bombs in seconds. 

I felt a cold wave of fear for how bad this fire could get, particularly as aerial footage showed the flames shooting from windows and edging closer to the glass roof of Glasgow Central next door – Scotland’s busiest railway station.

It was a miracle that the station itself was spared, but it raises questions about how well equipped the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are to deal with such complex fires after years of cuts.

1,250 firefighters have already been lost in recent years, only 16 high reach appliances are left in Scotland with further station and appliance reductions proposed for Glasgow in the coming years, which I have opposed.

One faulty lithium-ion battery can set off dozens more in seconds. Any business handling them must be held to the highest safety standards and inspected regularly.

We need mandatory licensing for all vape shops with strict fire-safety conditions. And a vital new change of use classification in planning law for the retail of such products. 

This includes proper battery storage, linked fire alarms between floors and regular unannounced inspections by fire officers. 

The shop at the centre of Sunday’s blaze, run by Junaid Retail Limited and trading as Scot’s World, had occupied the unit only since August 2024, after the building had stood empty for ten years. 

This just happened to coincide with the removal of business rates exemptions for empty floorspace in listed buildings across Glasgow.

While well-intentioned, I have repeatedly warned that this could create perverse incentives and unintended consequences that puts our heritage at greater risk.

The company wasn’t registered on the Scottish Government’s official list of retailers allowed to sell tobacco or nicotine products – including vapes. It had also appears to have failed to pay its business rates. This raises serious questions.

The blaze erupted just after 4pm in a ground-floor unit. While a brave passer-by, Lamin Kongira, grabbed a fire extinguisher, he was forced back by a series of explosions as batteries cooked off one after another.

He reportedly said, ‘it was my duty as a citizen in Glasgow to help my city.’

Although it looked under control at first, the fire travelled, seemingly feeding on stock inside the shop.

The fire ripped through offices, salons and other businesses on the upper floors and spread to the Gordon Street corner with its iconic lead dome. Eighteen fire engines battled it into the night but the human cost was heartbreaking, dozens of small businesses were destroyed.

Standing at the cordon in the early hours of Monday morning, I felt physically sick. Another indispensable part of Glasgow’s heritage reduced to rubble in a single evening.

I spoke to Dan Campbell, who lost the hair salon that he spent five years building up with his partner. Tattoo artist Scott McNally lost £30,000 of equipment and irreplaceable designs. Much of the famous Blue Lagoon chip shop, Sexy Coffee, a Shelter charity shop – have all been wiped out. 

As ever, Glaswegians stepped up to help, and over £150,000 has been raised thus far in crowdfunding. But no amount of money replaces the blood, sweat and tears these people poured into their dreams, making our city thrive,  now gone up in smoke.

I feel a deep, burning sorrow, mixed with anger. This should be a watershed moment – much like the Glasgow School of Art fires should have been. There must be a complete overhaul of enforcement from a trading standards perspective and from a fire-safety perspective. 

Unregistered, unregulated retailers storing hundreds of lithium batteries pose an unacceptable risk. 

Trading standards and licensing teams must be properly resourced, and pop-up operators cannot be allowed to cut corners. 

The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council must act now – before the next powder keg explodes, with potentially life-threatening consequences.

We need to tighten up planning and licencing rules along with more proactive enforcement.

The takeaway from this tragedy is simple – public safety cannot be left to luck. We owe it to every trader who lost their livelihoods this weekend – and to every Glaswegian left bereft by the loss of this iconic landmark – to make sure a fire like this never happens again.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk. 

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