Glasgow residents forced to evacuate their homes and roads were shut amid safety concerns of historic city landmark

Residents in Glasgow were forced to evacuate their homes and roads surrounding a historic city landmark were shut on Saturday due to fears the structure could collapse after being hit by high winds brought by Storm Malik.

Police and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were at the scene of the historic Trinity College building on Lynedoch Street throughout the day and set up an exclusion zone in the area.

It is understood around 50 locals had to be evacuated from their homes due to the building, which is currently undergoing structural repairs, being deemed ‘unsafe’.

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Scaffolding surrounds one side of the building, which was being worked on after cracks were found and stone collapsed last January.

In a statement, Glasgow City Council said residents who were asked to leave their homes were told to seek shelter at the rest centre at Kelvin Hall.

It read: “An exclusion zone is being erected around Trinity building at Lynedoch St after structural deterioration found, worsened by high winds - residents being directed to rest centre at the Kelvin Hall, with Glasgow City HSCP in attendance.

"GCC teams working with Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.”

Six roads in the area near the building were closed off by police.

Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene of the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place. (Credit: Twitter/@Notaphish)Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene of the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place. (Credit: Twitter/@Notaphish)
Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are at the scene of the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place. (Credit: Twitter/@Notaphish)

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 12.55pm on Saturday, January 29, 2022, police assistance was sought from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to assist with traffic management at Lynedoch Street, Glasgow (near Park Circus).

"The Fire Service is currently dealing with an unsafe structure and officers are in attendance due to several roads being closed.”

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney responded to the incident on Twitter. He said: "Concerning news about further storm damage to the Old Trinity College building at Park Circus, built c.1861.

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"Solidarity with residents who are being given temporary shelter at Kelvin Hall. Emergency repair work to a previous stone collapse on the west tower is already underway.”

Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended at the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place.  (Image: Twitter @jonsamuelhood)Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended at the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place.  (Image: Twitter @jonsamuelhood)
Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended at the historic Trinity College building in Lynedoch Street, with nearby roads shut down and an exclusion zone put in place. (Image: Twitter @jonsamuelhood)

The building — which is believed to date date back as far as 1857 — was previously a training school for Church of Scotland ministers before it was given a new lease of life by being transformed into flats.

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