Thousands of commuters faced travel chaos after a major fire on Glasgow's Union Street forced the closure of rail lines serving the city's central station. The blaze in a building adjacent to the railway prompted emergency services to shut down multiple routes as a safety precaution.
ScotRail confirmed widespread cancellations and diversions affecting services across the central belt. Passengers on key routes connecting Glasgow Central to destinations throughout central Scotland encountered severe delays, with many forced to seek alternative transport.
Network Rail ordered a complete shutdown of lines near the incident to protect passengers and staff whilst emergency crews tackled the fire. Engineers remained on standby to assess potential damage to tracks, overhead cables and signalling systems once the area was declared safe.
The disruption highlighted how vulnerable Scotland's transport network is to incidents in busy city centres. Union Street's location next to one of the country's busiest railway stations meant the fire's impact spread far beyond Glasgow, affecting intercity travellers and daily commuters alike.
An investigation into the fire's cause will begin once the scene is secured. Network Rail said safety remained the priority, with teams preparing thorough inspections and repairs to restore full services and minimise further disruption for passengers.