Glasgow Chef Hailed as Hero After Rushing into Exploding Vape Shop Fire
A Glasgow chef who ran into an exploding vape shop in a desperate attempt to stop a devastating fire has been declared a hero by the community. Lamin Kongira, 42, bravely entered the smoke-filled shop armed only with a fire extinguisher he grabbed from a neighboring Subway restaurant, but was forced to retreat by a series of explosions.
Brave Attempt to Save Historic Building
The fire broke out on Sunday in a building adjacent to Glasgow Central railway station, quickly consuming multiple historic structures. Kongira, originally from Gambia but a Glasgow resident for 15 years, told STV News: "I wasn't thinking of myself, to be honest with you. I was thinking of the structure of that building I was in. If I could, I would save it, but unfortunately, my effort was pointless. I've done my best now."
The chef explained his immediate response when he heard the shopkeeper shouting about the fire: "I looked and saw a small fire. I asked the shopkeeper if he had a fire extinguisher, but he said no. I had to quickly run next door and grab a fire extinguisher from there. When that had run out, we couldn't do any more."
Devastating Impact on Glasgow City Centre
The fire has caused catastrophic damage to 19th-century buildings at the corner of Gordon Street and Union Street, with only the facade remaining standing. A Scottish MSP compared the destruction to "the Blitz," highlighting the scale of devastation. Nearby hotels were evacuated, roads were sealed off, and Glasgow Central station remains closed with all services suspended.
Network Rail confirmed the station will remain closed through Tuesday, with a spokesperson stating: "While the fire is now under control, emergency services are still on site and we continue to support their response. Timescales for reopening will only be confirmed once we are able to safely gain access and carry out the necessary checks."
Community Response and Support
The Glasgow community has rallied around affected businesses, with more than £80,000 raised through crowdfunding platform GoFundMe to support six firms that lost their premises. Among those impacted was hairdressing salon owner Joe Diaz, who described fleeing with his partner through "really heavy, dark smoke" as the fire took hold.
Eyewitnesses expressed shock at the destruction of what many considered an iconic building. Emma Reid from Glasgow said: "It's just so sad. It's such an iconic building. It's so sad." Carolyn Bowie, whose son was among the firefighters tackling the blaze, added: "It's devastating and a big blow for Glasgow."
Official Recognition and Safety
Downing Street paid tribute to the bravery of firefighters who dealt with the blaze, with the Prime Minister's official spokesman stating: "Clearly, this has been a devastating incident for Glasgow, the loss of historic buildings that have dominated the city centre for so long. Our thoughts also go to those who have lost businesses and livelihoods."
Remarkably, no injuries were reported in the incident. The fire is believed to have started at the vape shop on Union Street before spreading through the building structure, engulfing an adapter system filled with chargers according to Kongira's observations.
