Fire crews carry out checks on vape shops in wake of Union Street blaze

Glasgow Fire and Rescue staff have been carrying out checks on premises, including vape shops, in the wake of the huge Union Street blaze.

The audit of 18 premises found there was a lack of awareness of legislation and fire safety duties, and documents were not available, among other issues.

The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) now plans to send out letters to businesses, which are located in the same building as residential flats, according to Glasgow Area Commander Mr Marshall.

The local senior officer said SFRS wants to raise awareness around fire safety responsibilities as an investigation continues into the “origin and cause” of the Union Street fire.

Mr Marshall said the audit of a number of Glasgow businesses discovered there “was a lack of awareness of the Fire Scotland Act”.

Speaking at Wednesday’s Safe Glasgow Partnership, the local senior officer said documents were unavailable during the visits, and there were cases of “poor coordination between landlords and tenants”.

He said it is hoped that issuing a letter will let premises know they are responsible for carrying out a fire risk assessment.

The Union Street fire in March led to a major demolition of the impacted building and road closures. Crews battled the fire, which started in a vape shop, for hours.

The meeting also heard how fire crews are preparing for Bonfire Night.

SFRS staff have been visiting secondary schools to educate pupils about the dangers of anti-social behaviour, with crews also calling into primary schools.

During Bonfire Night, there will be a focus on areas where anti-social behaviour is anticipated, the meeting heard.

Plans also include bonfires being removed before they are lit.

The Safe Glasgow Partnership was presented with statistics relating to fire incidents in the first quarter of this financial year – covering April, May and June.

There were no 911 fires, and 122 people were rescued by firefighters.

There were no fatalities following blazes, but nine people received treatment.

The SFRS also attended 627 incidents that were not related to fires, including road collisions. Fifteen people died as a result of the incidents.