GONE WITH THE FLAMES
Expert Art school was so badly damaged we may never find out the cause of inferno
The cause of the second Glasgow School of Art fire may never be known, a leading expert has said.
Fire and emergency planning consultant Stephen Mackenzie believes the level of destruction was so severe that investigators may find it impossible to identify what sparked the blaze.
A team only recently managed to get access to the ravaged building after construction specialists ruled it was safe to enter the landmark.
But Mackenzie, vice chairman of the Emergency Planning Society in London who has been in contact with the Grenfell fire inquiry, said he would be surprised if they discovered the source of the fire, which happened in June.
The O2 ABC concert venue was also destroyed.
It was the second time in four years that the historic school of art had been gutted by fire.
Mackenzie, a former chairman of the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers, said: “The entire roof and the majority of the structure was absolutely destroyed so it is going to be incredibly challenging for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to identify the source and cause of the fire.
“They can surmise and piece together certain things but they will probably never be able to identify exactly what caused it.
“It was appalling that the building burned down a second time and the lessons of the first fire had not been heeded.”
Mackenzie said the probe into the most recent fire will focus on establishing whether it was started del iberately, by an electrical fault or “hot works”.
He added: “The fire was on the Friday night. The school will have been able to have checked if there was any authorised hot work – such as welding – that day.
“Wi l ful f ire- raising is another potential cause and CCTV and site security reports will be looked at.
“I’d also be looking at what was contained in the fire safety plan. What was the active security provision on site, was there guarding on site and was the site monitored?
“We’ve seen statements that sprinkler pumps had arrived on scene and were to be installed. These are al l issues which require to be looked at. The definitive source and seat of the f ire may never be known because of the extent of the destruction in the building.
“Ins t ead, we may be dependent on eyewitness reports, CCTV reports and what the forensic evidence shows.
“Investigators will try to track back but we may never know.”
A Holyrood committee heard that ventilation ducts which helped the first fire take hold of the Mackintosh building in 2014 were still in use during the second inferno.
MSPs heard that they were only due to be fire-stopped at the end of the project.
The committee will hear from art school trustee Muriel Gray on November 15.
A Glasgow School of Art spokeswoman said the investigation into the f ire remained ongoing.
Police said the probe remained a fire service investigation.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service assistant chief officer David McGown said: “The investigation into the fire that took hold of the Glasgow School of Art, O2 ABC and surrounding buildings remains ongoing.
“I would stress that this is a very complex process and will, therefore, take time.”
Construction firm Kier were responsible for the building being repaired after the first fire. The contract was terminated following the second blaze.
Kier said : “An ag reed fire safety strategy was implemented for the build phase of the Mackintosh restoration project , which combined measures for the protection of all entering the site to work and to alert authorities in the event of a fire. These included a smoke and heat detection system, evacuation tests and 24/ 7 security and fire warden patrols.”