Firefighters are still tackling a huge fire at Glasgow wholesale market that began at peak trading time in the early hours of this morning.
Some traders are now putting emergency plans in place to meet orders where possible. Disruption is expected across the Scottish wholesale supply chain due to Glasgow’s role as the region’s largest wholesale market.
The fire service and emergency services were called to the market on Blochairn Road at around 4am this morning after reports of a fire in a two-storey warehouse. A total of 12 fire engines and four aerial appliance plus support units attended the incident, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said.
No one is thought to have been injured, Police Scotland said, while the BBC reported that 400 people have been evacuated from the site and said that the fire is believed to have engulfed 90 per cent of the market.
Total Produce Glasgow’s Gerry Price told FPJ it’s likely the market will remain closed for at least a few days.
“They are still trying to get the situation under control. Some of the buildings have been bumped down and there is lots of smoke damage,” he said.
It’s still unclear in which unit the fire began, Price said, although it seemed to begin at the top of the market before spreading quickly to other units. “What worries me is that it started and then all of a sudden it spread very quickly. There may have been some flammable equipment,” he said.
Total Produce Glasgow is in the process of diverting orders to its sister depot in Edinburgh, about 45 miles away, Price said. “We are trying to make the best of a bad situation. It’s a bit chaotic. We’re going to need more product and we’re ordering more product at the moment.”
Other traders are “worried and concerned”, said Price, who said he is receiving updates from the council and market manager City Property Glasgow.
Total Produce Edinburgh said its business and deliveries will not be affected by the incident with all orders going out as planned today, while wholesale traders from across the country tweeted their support to the market.
'Firefighters are currently tackling a large fire within a warehouse on Blochairn Road in Glasgow,” said a spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
'A total of 12 appliances, four aerial appliances and support units were mobilised to the scene after the alarm was raised at 3.44am on Thursday, August 17.
'The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews are using high powered hoses to tackle and contain the flames.'
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “A joint investigation between police and fire services will be carried out to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, and enquires are continuing.”
