Vape shop at centre of tragic Union Street fire had no safety checks for two years

A Glasgow vape shop at the centre of a devastating city centre fire had not undergone any health and safety inspections in 2024 or 2025/26 leading up to the blaze. The fire broke out on Union Street in a B-listed building on March 8, leading to the partial collapse and subsequent demolition of the structure. More than 250 firefighters worked for 24 hours to control the blaze, but part of the building collapsed during the fire. A Jimmy Reid Foundation survey found that almost two-thirds of local authorities have effectively stopped routine health and safety inspections. Glasgow City Council, responsible for health and safety at 16,650 premises, focuses on targeted inspections triggered by complaints or intelligence. The council confirmed there were no inspections at the vape shop at 105 Union Street in 2024 or 2025/26, stating there was no information to justify a proactive inspection. Dave Watson of the Jimmy Reid Foundation criticized the lack of planned inspections, suggesting that preventative checks might have prevented the fire. The fire continues to cause disruption, with parts of Gordon Street, Union Street, and Renfield Street remaining closed. At the end of 2024, trading standards officers visited the shop, Scot's World, and it passed an underage tobacco sales test, though it does not appear on the Scottish Government's register of tobacco and vape retailers.

(Source：Glasgow Times)