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The fire on Sunday 8 March is believed to have started in a retail outlet selling vapes and gutted the B-listed Victorian building on Union Corner. The incident has also caused major disruption to rail services with the adjoining Glasgow Central Station remaining closed for a week. Glasgow City Council have since reported that the remaining structure has been “fatally compromised” and as such is “highly dangerous”, with demolition at the site now planned.
Although the cause has not yet been officially confirmed, UKVIA has moved to coordinate with fire authorities and reinforce fire safety awareness among its members.
Following the incident, UKVIA Director General John Dunne issued a statement expressing sympathy for those affected and commending emergency responders. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fire in Glasgow, and we commend the emergency services for their response,” he said. He added that “this is an isolated incident and, while the exact cause of the fire has not yet been established, even one case like this is one too many.”
In a letter sent to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as well as fire authorities across the UK, the association emphasised its intention to support both the ongoing investigation and wider efforts to protect the safety of retail environments. In the letter, Dunne stated that the UKVIA is “keen to work with the fire service nationally, alongside other relevant authorities and bodies responsible for ensuring the safety of retail environments, to help prevent any recurrence.”
UKVIA has also urged member businesses to check their existing fire risk assessments and consult local fire authorities for additional advice, with Dunne saying that the association “will be proactively engaging with the fire service and relevant authorities to understand what lessons can be learned to help ensure the highest possible safety standards across vape retailers.” He added that they are also advising all of their members to “check their fire risk assessments and to get in touch with their local fire authorities to seek any further guidance.”
Some retailers have already taken internal action, with UKVIA noting that “retail members [have] sent circulars to their stores immediately following the fire to reiterate fire and battery safety measures.”
The association has also highlighted its long-standing call for regulatory change for vape retailing. Dunne noted that “the UKVIA has long advocated for a robust, fit-for-purpose licensing scheme for vape retailers, including provisions to ensure the highest possible safety and compliance standards, which is now being considered as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.”
In its letter to the NFCC, UKVIA further stated that the government’s proposed mandatory licensing scheme “could provide an effective mechanism for supporting robust compliance with fire safety requirements in vape retail stores across the UK in the future.”
In the coming months, the association expects to work closely with national and regional fire authorities once the investigation into the Glasgow incident concludes, saying in its letter: “Once the cause is known, we would also welcome the opportunity to work closely with you and the relevant authorities to identify any lessons arising from the Glasgow incident that can be learnt to ensure that such an event does not happen again.”
