School of Art blaze is utterly devastating but institution will rise again

TO say that the second fire in barely four years at the Glasgow School of Art is heartbreaking is an understatement.

This prestigious institution is a source of pride for Glasgow, and it is internationally acclaimed. The Mackintosh building, now ravaged by fire, kept the heartbeat of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s art running through the city. It is a special place, and one that had seemed all the more so after it survived the first fire in 2014.

The fire on Friday night, however, wreaked incredible damage on the building. It has been utterly devastated, and it will come as a very personal and deep blow to all of those involved in the restoration of the Mackintosh building over the last four years.

High praise is due to the firefighters who once again found themselves called to action at the Art School, and who were still battling to prevent fur- ther fire from breaking out even as these pages were printing.

Questions about how a second fire, and one that was so severe, was possible after so much care had been taken to restore the building must be answered in the coming weeks and months. While Glasgow is consumed with a sense of grief over this loss, there is palpable anger underneath the surface.

The fate of the O2 ABC venue also remains to be seen. The images printed in these pages suggest extensive damage to the building, which is a hub for live music and a favourite haunt for students and young people.

Despite this event, the Art School as an institution will continue. Crises such as these often breed a strong resolve, and Glasgow is known for its tough spirit. It may be the end of a building, but it is not the end of the Glasgow School of Art.