{"id":818296,"date":"2026-03-11T06:25:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T06:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/818296\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T06:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T06:25:15","slug":"union-street-shop-where-devastating-glasgow-blaze-broke-out-was-selling-vapes-illegally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/818296\/","title":{"rendered":"Union Street shop where devastating Glasgow blaze broke out was selling vapes illegally"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>THE shop where the devastating Glasgow inferno started was selling vapes illegally, we can reveal.<\/p>\n<p>Traders had not listed the premises at 105 Union Street on a mandatory register which is needed before they can flog nicotine products including e-cigs.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for Scottish Sun newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\tThank you!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The shop where the devastating Glasgow inferno started was selling vapes illegallyCredit: Dave Johnston \u2013 Commissioned by The Sun<\/p>\n<p>Traders had not listed the premises at 105 Union Street on a mandatory registerCredit: Dave Johnston \u2013 Commissioned by The Sun<\/p>\n<p>Police have been unable to trace the shop\u2019s owner \u2013 identified as ArslanCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>And we can also reveal how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/police\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">police<\/a> have been unable to trace the shop\u2019s owner \u2013 identified as Arslan \u2013 and speak to him about major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/investigation\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">investigation<\/a> into the blaze.<\/p>\n<p>It comes as it also emerged yesterday how the 6500 vape shops which have sprung up across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/scotland\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Scotland<\/a> are under no legal obligation to have routine fire checks carried out \u2013 despite the risk posed by lithium batteries.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/firefighters\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Firefighters<\/a> were still damping down the Forysth House building on Union Street yesterday which has been completely destroyed and a huge area of the city is still shut off.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/glasgow\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Glasgow<\/a> MSP Paul Sweeney called for reform to the system to remove the duty to register from businesses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tREAD MORE ON THE SCOTTISH SUN\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"article-readmore__text-anchor-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/news\/16022217\/scots-school-knife-threat-pupil-playground\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"240\" width=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Off-platform-pics-2026-03-10T173040.383.png\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-kicker\">WEAPON TERROR<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-headline\">Police called to Scots primary school after pupil &#8216;threatens kids with knife&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"article-readmore__text-anchor-wrap\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/news\/4919370\/chick-fil-a-scotland-aviemore-petition\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"240\" width=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/NINTCHDBPICT000191415445.jpg\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-kicker\">FIL-A FURY<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-readmore__text-headline\">Petition calls for Chick-Fil-A to close Scots restaurant amid LGBT row<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cIt is shocking if this shop has been allowed to operate illegally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are serious questions about the suitability to have these types of businesses share <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/space\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">space<\/a> with our landmark buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Scottish Conservative MSP for Glasgow, Annie Wells, said: \u201cWhile the cause of this fire is still being fully investigated, it is understandable that many people are extremely concerned about the location of vape shops given where this fire looks to have started.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese shops can pose a real risk to public <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/safety\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">safety<\/a> given the products which are sold within them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMost read in The Scottish Sun\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Trading Standards officers are responsible for enforcing registration with lawbreakers facing a criminal conviction, closure and fined up to \u00a320,000.<\/p>\n<p>A Scottish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/government\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Government<\/a> spokesman said: \u201cAll retailers in Scotland selling tobacco or vapes must sign up to the mandatory register.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be inappropriate to comment further as an investigation is underway.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The owner of the shop, who was interviewed by the Scottish Sun on Monday and would only give his name as Arlsan, said he had only took it over two weeks ago.<\/p>\n<p>Police sources said they were trying to trace him to ask about the fire.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen will Glasgow Central reopen?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Glasgow_Central_Station_1png-JS1065577021.png\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-boxout__content__intro\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Harry Williamson\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>MOST of Glasgow Central will be closed for the the rest of the week after the horror Union Street fire which destroyed a historic building, rail chiefs revealed last night.<\/p>\n<p>But access to lower level trains will resume from tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>It comes as Network Rail released video showing the main concourse looking unscathed by the fire.<\/p>\n<p>The rail hub \u2013 one of the busiest in the UK \u2013 has been closed for days after the fire amid fears the inferno damaged the station.<\/p>\n<p>Fire crews are still on the scene blasting water at the scene and once they determine the blaze has been extinguished, council workers will start inspecting the area to find out how safe it is.<\/p>\n<p>Network Rail will then need to carry out full structural assessments to find out how badly damaged the station was.<\/p>\n<p>Although it is understood there has been no serious damage to the inside of Glasgow Central, the station concourse or the Caledonian Chambers building.<\/p>\n<p>Route Director Ross Moran said: \u201cWe are grateful to Scottish Fire and Rescue teams who have been working tirelessly to contain the fire on the Union Corner site.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am pleased to advise passengers that we will be able to open Glasgow Central Low Level station from tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, further work is required to ensure the high level station is safe for trains to operate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Latest figures show there are 6500 vape shops in Scotland but routine fire checks are not required to be carried out on them.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, responsibility for complying with safety regulations lies with shop owners or operators themselves under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/scottish-fire-and-rescue-service\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Scottish Fire and Rescue Service<\/a> (SFRS) say they only visit stores when \u201crisk-based criteria\u201d are triggered \u2013 such as a complaint about a specific shop or a previous fire incident.<\/p>\n<p>It comes amid mounting calls for tougher safety controls for vape shops \u201cfull of incendiary devices\u201d, after a store on Glasgow\u2019s Union Street sparked an inferno that ravaged historic buildings and plunged the city into travel and traffic chaos, with trains cancelled and roads closed.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/glasgow-city-council\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Glasgow City Council<\/a> said trading standards are only required to monitor the type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thescottishsun.co.uk\/topic\/vaping\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">vaping<\/a> products being sold.<\/p>\n<p>The spokesperson added: \u201cThe single use vape ban does require vapes to be stored away from the public sales area but there is no guidance on how vapes should be stored.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nationwide vape retailer VPZ, which has an outlet further down Union Street, said they have asked the fire service for more guidance in the wake of the blaze.<\/p>\n<p>Operations director Jamie Strachan said: \u201cIn response, we have proactively contacted the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to request further guidance and advisory engagement for our teams so we can review our procedures and ensure they reflect current best practice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAcross our retail estate we already operate strict internal protocols covering lithium-ion battery storage, charging and disposal, alongside comprehensive staff training and formal fire risk assessments.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"THE shop where the devastating Glasgow inferno started was selling vapes illegally, we can reveal. Traders had not&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":818297,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[7826],"tags":[748,918,4884,530,712,5120,2978,16,15,2941],"class_list":["post-818296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-glasgow","tag-britain","tag-glasgow","tag-great-britain","tag-police-scotland","tag-scotland","tag-scottish-crime","tag-small-business","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-vaping"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=818296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/818296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/818297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=818296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=818296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=818296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}