Inferno brings chaos to Glasgow

MOTORISTS endured long delays last night after large clouds of smoke from a fire near the River Clyde led to road closures and diversions in Glasgow.

The smoke drifted across the M8 at the Kingston Bridge, one of Europe’s busiest road bridges.

More than 100 firefighters fought for hours to bring the blaze at the disused building, formerly a Co-op funeral care property in Morrison Street, Tradeston, under control.

The fire, which started at around 1:50pm, sent smoke clouds across Glasgow city centre. Some flats and offices were evacuated but police asked residents at Wallace Street, parallel to Morrison Street, to remain in their homes. There were no reports of casualties.

The M8 and M74 motorways remained open but with speed restrictions in place. The M8 sliproad to Paisley Road was closed just before 6pm.

From 4pm there was no access to Paisley Road eastbound at Seaward Street on the M74, with traffic being diverted via Scotland Street and West Street.

The M74 southbound slip at junction one to Paisley Road West was closed while motorists on the M8 at Charing Cross were warned to expect queues.

An emergency services helicopter monitored the blaze at the grade-B listed five-storey building, built in 1876.

Eye-witness Nick O’Brien, 31, who watched the blaze from the seventh floor of Glasgow College of Nautical Studies in nearby Thistle Street, said: “A group of us saw some smoke coming out of the building at about 3.45pm. At that point, it was a bit of smoke but it quickly became an inferno.

“We could see smoke drifting the whole way across the motorway – the whole of the Kingston Bridge was totally obscured. If anything, it seemed to get worse throughout the day. It looked as if the blaze was just burning the building away to nothing.”

Brian Sweeney, chief officer of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, said that crews from Polmadie and Govan arrived within five minutes of the first call.

“Within 30 to 40 minutes the officer in charge took the decision that because of the high value of property surrounding this building that he would conduct external firefighting and 15 machines were ordered in to support,” he said. “At its height we have had more than 100 firefighters tackling flames shooting over 100ft into the night sky.”

He added: “This was an extremely difficult fire in the built-up city centre on the southside of the river, and the energy and the tenacity of those early crews in making sure that it didn’t spread is to be supported and encouraged.”

The cause of the fire had yet to be established last night.