Glasgow Central Station can't fully reopen until fire-ravaged facade is demolished, says council

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The facade of a fire-ravaged building in Glasgow must come down before Central Station can fully reopen
Demolition of the remains of Union Corner will begin on Friday
The works will take weeks and surviving chimney stacks must be removed before any work on the facade
Glasgow Central high level to remain closed until Monday, and likely beyond then
A cross-Government Ministerial Board has been established to coordinate the Scottish Government’s response to the fire
A safety exclusion zone has been erected in the city centre

The facade of a fire-ravaged building in Glasgow must come down before Central Station can fully reopen – and could take weeks.

The burnt-out Union Corner site was handed over to the city council on Thursday after emergency services finished their work.

Emergency demolition of the remains of Union Corner will begin on Friday.

Remains of fire ravaged building in Glasgow city centre to demolished STV News

Raymond Barlow, head of building standards in the city, told STV News that the structure was “fatally compromised”.

He said that it wasn’t possible to put a definite timetable on the works but it would take weeks.

“The facade needs to come down before we can consider, certainly the entrances on Gordon Street, can reopen,” Mr Barlow said.

Watch
Watch moment LED screen collapses into burning building

Other parts of the concourse could partially reopen, and other entrances, such as the one on Hope Street, could be used.

The contractor, Burnfield Demolition, will work 24/7, the council said.

Two chimney stacks that remain at the southern end of the site must be brought down before any others works can begin.

“It’s a highly dangerous situation we’re in here, everything is so very unstable,” Mr Barlow said.

The work will be carried out by personnel in cranes above the danger, dismantling the remains of the building stone by stone.

Scotland’s busiest train station has been closed since a blaze engulfed a neighbouring four-storey building on Union Street on Sunday.

Only the facade of the building has been left standing on Gordon Street. Network Rail Scotland

Union Corner, built in 1851, collapsed, leaving only part of its facade.

A cross-Government Ministerial Board has been established to coordinate the Scottish Government’s immediate and longer-term response to the fire.

It will oversee the development of a support package to aid in the recovery process, the Government said.

“The fire has left a scene of ruin in the heart of Glasgow and I am determined that the Scottish Government will stand with the city as it recovers,” said justice secretary Angela Constance.

Network Rail said Glasgow Central will reopen “as soon as it is safe to do so”.