Glasgow, Scotland, Major fire near central train station 3/8/26

This fire has made a lot of headlines here in the UK because of the area where the fire occurred, the historic significance of the buildings, and because the fire started in a vape/e-cigarette shop.

To give you guys some context, the building complex was constructed in 1851 and has survived two world wars, yet because of what is likely to be a lithium battery/thermal runaway, the entire block has gone.
The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service deployed 18 pumps (engines), 3 aerials (ladder/trucks) and other specialist units. You can see from the photos below how dramatic the fire spread was.

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Ret Phila Lieut said:
I'm just curious but were sprinklers required to be retrofitted in these old buildings
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Unfortunately not loo, there is a law that sprinkers are required in buildings over 11 metres high built after 2020. The legislation is complex in the UK and we do lack behind the rest of Europe and the USA.
 
BritishAndy said:
This fire has made a lot of headlines here in the UK because of the area where the fire occurred, the historic significance of the buildings, and because the fire started in a vape/e-cigarette shop.

To give you guys some context, the building complex was constructed in 1851 and has survived two world wars, yet because of what is likely to be a lithium battery/thermal runaway, the entire block has gone.
The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service deployed 18 pumps (engines), 3 aerials (ladder/trucks) and other specialist units. You can see from the photos below how dramatic the fire spread was.

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Makes me wonder who owned the vape shop
 
Just speculation but having been to Scotland and knowing how long it takes to respond on the crowded streets, I would say this was a 5th Alarm or more is likely. Two large buildings with one collapsed that sound like a 5th alarm or more, to me especially given the fire buildings were in a crowded commercial area with many exposures. The Fire Brigades in most of the U.K. do not have alot of Tower Ladders, it is cool to see one Tower Ladder in operation in one of the photos. Note the Tower Ladder is a combination of a Tower Ladder with a Snorkel style extension where the Basket is mounted. A great idea when you need to reach over something to reach fire or trapped people on a set back are or deep roof.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired. Former member of FDNY TL-18, TL-21
 
As the Cap said, this would be at the minimum a fifth alarm in the FDNY, and if it happened a good few years back I am confident it would a 'Borough Call'.

Here in the UK we don't use trucks/ladders the same as the FDNY and the rest of the USA. Firstly, they are primarily used as water towers or rescue from height. The tactics here do not involve putting guys on the roof to ventilate like across the pond. We primarily use two types of aerial apparatus in the UK, Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALPs) which are very similar to Tower Ladders, or to be more specific very much like the Rosenbauer T-Rex's you see in some departments. The other type is the Turntable Ladder which is just like a rear mount. We have lengths from 30 metres right through to 64 metres.

Again, our mobilisation methods are different to the USA. The initial response is dependent on what type of call it is. A structure fire will get two or three pumps (engines) and if the building is classed as a high-rise then an aerial also responds. The aerial apparatus only have two guys riding the rig and as I mentioned, we primarily use them for defensive operations as water towers.

Each fire brigade (department) has different number of aerial apparatus depending on their size, for example the London Fire Brigade have twelve aerials, whilst many of the suburban departments will have two. The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service has thirteen, but often some are out of service, or have insufficient crews. Like many places around the world, budget cuts have made a dent in what fire departments can provide.

Hope this helps and if you guys have any questions, ask away.
 
Thank you brother. A whole lot of great information about our U. K. brothers and sisters and how aerial devices are used. I had some knowledge of these things from my friend, former FDNY Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano. I saw (I still call Sal Chief) just after he was over in London helping the L.F.B. take a look at the tragedy at Glenfield (Spelling?) Towers. He told me about how differently Aerial Ladder Platform and Turntable Ladders are used and manned. I have been to both England and Scotland and naturally stopped by to see your great firefighters whenever I had the chance. I always felt welcome but wish I had the time to talk about the differences in tactics and procedures. Sadly, I never got to Liverpool. I greatly enjoyed the visits from firefighters from around the world when I was the Captain of FDNY Engine 26, near Times Square in Midtown Manhattan.
Bob Rainey
 
captaindewey50267021@gm said:
Thank you brother. A whole lot of great information about our U. K. brothers and sisters and how aerial devices are used. I had some knowledge of these things from my friend, former FDNY Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano. I saw (I still call Sal Chief) just after he was over in London helping the L.F.B. take a look at the tragedy at Glenfield (Spelling?) Towers. He told me about how differently Aerial Ladder Platform and Turntable Ladders are used and manned. I have been to both England and Scotland and naturally stopped by to see your great firefighters whenever I had the chance. I always felt welcome but wish I had the time to talk about the differences in tactics and procedures. Sadly, I never got to Liverpool. I greatly enjoyed the visits from firefighters from around the world when I was the Captain of FDNY Engine 26, near Times Square in Midtown Manhattan.
Bob Rainey
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Thank you Cap, I am glad you enjoyed your visits to both England and Scotland and that the brothers looked after you. The Grenfell fire changed the way the British fire service responded to high rise fires, and the 64 metre Turntable Ladders bought by the LFB were as a direct result of that fire.
If you ever travel across the pond again drop me a message.
Andy
 
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