‘WE’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT CAUSED CITY INFERNO’

EXCLUSIVE: Fire chiefs admit blaze so fierce riddle may not be solved

THE cause of the Sauchiehall Street fire will probably never be known, say police and fire chiefs.

GLASGOW’S top police and fire chiefs have admitted that they are unlikely to find the cause of the Sauchiehall Street fire.

They revealed the blaze probably started on the upper floors of Victoria’s Nightclub but said the chances of finding anything from the scene were low due to the extent of the blaze.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue area commander, James Hymas, and the city’s top cop Chief Superintendent Brian McInulty, told of the huge firefighting operation launched to bring the blaze under control.

Mr Hymas told how firefighters were pulled out of the nightclub shortly after entering as flames burst through the floorboards.

He confirmed that the blaze is likely to have started on the upper floors despite the building having been locked up

Speaking at a meeting of Safe Glasgow Group, Mr Hymas, said: “The whole likelihood is that we won’t get a cause for it.

“The building was secure therefore we have to identify those who were last in the building, what they were doing and what they saw before they left.”

The fire chief was delivering his quarterly review to councillors when he was asked about the circumstances surrounding the inferno.

More than 100 firefighters battled the flames at its height, which caused irreparable damage to surrounding buildings last week.

Mr Hymas said they didn’t know how long the fire had been burning when they were called out.

He added: “The building was under renovation as well.

“(After) the first report that we got from members of the public, we then deployed and forced entry.

“The firefighte.rs went up and felt the heat from the floor. They’ve then started to peel away carpets and floors and it shot through the floor like a Bunsen burner, it had so much pressure.

“When that happens everything in that building is going to go up in flames.

“The smoke started to come down like a curtain on the outside of the building. We fought it from four corners and tried to stop the fire spreading. We smashed into The Pavilion, went into the gods and the roof space and put the jets on top.

“Lauders hasn’t been touched by fire but it’s been hit by water. We managed to stop it getting up to the Savers store.”

Mr Hymas also praised the efforts of firefighters and other emergency services staff, describing their efforts as “absolutely fantastic”.

Police Scotland’s Chief Superintendent for Glasgow, Brian McInulty added: “I think as a crime scene we’re not going to get anything.

“The bravery of those fire officers is something that will live long in the memory. I think it was a real credit to

The smoke started to come down like a curtain on the outside of the building

all the partners across the board who responded to that.

“One of the things that really struck me walking about was the public response and the response of local businesses. People were out with coffees and refreshments. It’s my intention to write to them.”

The latest revelations come after Glasgow City Council confirmed the affected buildings will be demolished.

The buildings affected are from number 92 to 106 which stretches from The Works shop up to Savers at the junction at Hope Street.

Businesses in the surrounding area have criticised the council over a “lack of communication”.

It has been confirmed that The Pavilion, city boozers Molly Malone’s and Lauders will be shut for up to two months while work gets underway to take down unsafe buildings.

A spokesman for the council said: “We will continue to communicate with businesses affected by the fire – including about the forthcoming demolition works – and will provide information as quickly as possible.

“Our first priority is public safety. If a building is close to another structure or building judged dangerous, action must be taken to protect the public, and this is what we have done regarding the Pavilion Theatre, where no access can be allowed while potential danger remains from the damaged structures nearby or the ongoing demolition operations.”