Glasgow School of Art & O2 ABC damaged in huge fire

Extensive damage has been reported at both venues in the centre of Glasgow

Article | 16 Jun 2018

A major fire has damaged large parts of the Mack Building at the Glasgow School of Art overnight. The building, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, was in the process of being renovated following extensive fire damage in 2014. The alarm was raised before midnight on Friday night. 

More than 150 firefighters were in attendance, according to the BBC, with the fire affecting all floors of the building. The fire came on graduation day for many GSA students, and our thoughts are with the students, tutors and staff at the Glasgow School of Art.

This latest fire comes just over four years after an enormous blaze tore through the Mack during the School's 2014 degree show. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service report found that the 2014 fire was caused by a projector igniting a student's degree show work, with the building's obsolete timber-lined ventilation system playing a significant role in allowing the fire to spread.

O2 ABC damaged in Glasgow School of Art fire

This new fire also appears to have caused extensive damage to the neighbouring O2 ABC gig venue on Sauchiehall Street. Aerial photos from Police Scotland appear to show the roof of the ABC having collapsed.

The art deco building, which houses two of the city's most important live music venues in the 1300-capacity ABC and smaller ABC 2, dates back to 1875 and was one of Glasgow's first cinemas before reopening for gigs and clubs in 2005. 

A number of roads and venues in central Glasgow will be closed until further notice as police and the fire service deal with the aftermath – check with venues before heading to gigs or events in the city this weekend.