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GLASGOW BURNS
Glasgow School of Art fire – inferno guts prestigious school just four years after it was destroyed by another blaze
Flames erupted just before midnight at the landmark institution which was devastated by a horror blaze in 2014
A HUGE fire ravaged all floors of the Glasgow's School of Art last night - just four years after a devastating blaze destroyed the prestigious institution.
The inferno broke at 11.19pm last night at the college, which had recently undergone a multi-million pound restoration project backed by Brad Pitt following the fire in 2014.
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Hundreds of locals were told to flee their homes and watched the drama unfold from the street, as the blaze took over all floors of the famous institution.
More than 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines rushed to tackle the inferno as it took hold of the historic Mackintosh Building - a devastating blow after donations flooded in worldwide to fund the £32million restoration, which was well underway and due to finish in February 2019.
Despite the scale of the blaze there were no casualties, and firefighters were seen this morning damping down the smouldering building.
Hollywood star Pitt and Dr Who actor Peter Capaldi were made trustees of The Mackintosh Appeal, and Prince Charles showed support for the rebuild by visiting the site in 2015.
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But last night's fire destroyed much of the efforts to rebuild the iconic building - with the roof of the neighbouring O2 ABC venue also alight after a few hours as the intense heat spread.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the fire spread "in the space of a few minutes" and caused "extensive damage".
Brave firefighters climbed ladders to battle the blaze by spraying water on the flames.
As the fire ripped through the site last night, several areas nearby - including the city's Sauchiehall Street - were evacuated.
Horrified locals spilled onto the street as thick towers of black smoke marred the city skyline.
One nearby resident Sophie Bartholomew told the Sun how she has been told to stay indoors.
She said: "We live right across the street, the whole thing is a shell.
"We thought we should leave but were told to stay indoors. It looks like they have things under control so we feel pretty safe at the moment."
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What is the Mackintosh Building and what happened to it in 2014?
The Mackintosh Building was completed in 1909, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
It has been described as "a working art school as well as a work of art", and has a Grade-A rating from Historic Scotland.
In 2014 a fire sparked by a student project ripped through the famous building, going up through the vertical shafts and destroying huge parts of the interior.
All 259 rooms were affected, mostly by smoke damage. And although 90 per cent of the building was saved, the west wing and the Mackintosh library - one of the world' finest examples of art nouveau design, was destroyed.
After months of preparation and research work began to rebuild the library and the west wing of the Mackintosh Building.
Millions of pounds were raised worldwide, with support from the UK and Scottish government, to restore it.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is a very sad morning in the city of Glasgow. Glasgow School of Art is an institution that is loved not just by its students, staff and the people of this city, but by many around the world.
“First and foremost my thoughts are for the safety of people. At this stage it appears there are no casualties and I hope that continues to be the case.
“The professionalism and bravery of the Fire Service, and the rest of the emergency services, was once again demonstrated last night. This is clearly an extremely complex and large-scale incident, and one that is on-going. I would like to thank the emergency services for their continued efforts.
“The Scottish Government stands ready to provide any support that may be required, now and in the period ahead. I have been receiving regular updates and will continue to do so throughout the day. The Scottish Government’s resilience room was activated overnight and will provide any support necessary.”
Around 20 fire appliances attended the scene, but failed to prevent the fire spreading to neighbouring buildings.
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Man carried into police van as large crowds gather round Glasgow School of Art inferno
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The O2 ABC venue, which was ravaged by fire, was due to host grunge band Belly last night.
It is a listed building and is currently up for sale.
Student John Collins, 22, from Airdrie said: "Within minutes it had really taken hold and flames were shooting about 50ft in the air.
"The fire service and the police were here within about ten minutes maximum.
"They told people to get out of the street and started taping off the area."
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He continued: "It's unbelievable that this has happened to the same building again.
"They must have spent a fortune renovating it and now it looks they'll be back where they started.
";But the main thing is hopefully there is nobody hurt."
Nicola Sturgeon speaks of the 'heartbreak' over fire which destroyed Glasgow school of art building as firefighters deal with the aftermath
Police chief Iain Bushell said: "This is an extremely challenging and complex incident, but the response and professionalism of our firefighters has been exceptional."
He urged residents to keep their doors and windows shut
Police were filmed carrying a man into a police van as crowds gathered to watch the blaze - but it was not clear why or whether an arrest had been made.
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Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was heartbroken by the fire and paid tribute to the emergency services.
She tweeted: "This is clearly an extremely serious situation. My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people - but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved @GSofA.
"Once again, we are indebted to the bravery of our firefighters and other emergency services."
The scene could be viewed for miles around with locals in East Kilbride expressing their shock at the plumes of smoke.
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Famous faces across Scotland witness the horror unfold on social media, posting heartfelt wishes for the safety of locals.
The Mackintosh building was completed in 1909, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
It has been described as "a working art school as well as a work of art", and has an A-list rating from Historic Scotland.
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