Glasgow was plunged into chaos this evening as a mᴀssive fire tore through Glasgow Central Station, engulfing parts of the concourse and causing the partial collapse of a historic station building, emergency officials say.

The blaze is believed to have started shortly after 6:15 p.m. in a retail unit on the main concourse, spreading rapidly through roof spaces and into the adjoining Victorian frontage facing Gordon Street. Witnesses reported hearing “a series of bangs” before flames punched through the glᴀss canopy and thick black smoke filled the main hall, sending commuters running for exits.

Firefighters from across the city have mounted a major incident response, with more than 20 appliances, aerial platforms and specialist rescue teams battling the inferno. Sections of the ornate façade dating back to the late 19th century have already collapsed onto the street below, crushing parked vehicles and showering debris across cordoned‑off pavements.

Police Scotland says several people have been treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, and that “a small number” are unaccounted for as search crews work through smoke‑choked stairwells and service corridors. Rail services in and out of Central Station have been suspended indefinitely, stranding thousands of pᴀssengers and forcing emergency diversions to smaller stations around the city.

Transport and heritage officials are calling the fire a “cultural and logistical catastrophe” for Scotland’s busiest rail hub, warning it could be days before the full extent of structural damage is known. As images of the burning roof and collapsing masonry race across social media, Glaswegians are left staring at an icon of their city in ruins — and wondering how long it will be before trains, and life, return to the heart of their rail network.