Passer-by tried to tackle vape shop blaze which went on to destroy building

A man who tried to tackle the blaze which destroyed a building next to Central Station in Glasgow was forced back by an “explosion” when he entered a vape shop to extinguish it.

Lamin Kongira was walking along Union Street when he saw smoke coming out of the shop on Sunday afternoon, along with someone running out of the premises.

The 42-year-old chef went inside to investigate and saw a fire coming from behind a counter, from what may have been a socket box.

Finding no fire extinguisher inside the vape shop, he went to another outlet to grab one and returned to extinguish the fire.

However the blaze was too intense and Mr Kongira said he had to retreat outside after hearing loud bangs.

Footage on social media shows him trying to usher people away from the scene, as a column of smoke billows out of the shop.

In the following hours, the flames would spread throughout the building and cause much of it to collapse.

Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Kongira said he asked someone in the vape shop if there was a fire extinguisher, but one was not available.

He said: “I had to run out quickly to go next door, where there’s a Subway. That’s where I grabbed this firefighting thing.

“But unfortunately, that finished and it could not stop it. The explosion comes.

“When the first explosion comes that’s when I knew I couldn’t control it any more.”

After the explosion, which may have come from a vape, he said he went outside to secure the street.

Another “big explosion” which was more powerful happened before the fire brigade arrived, he said.

Mr Kongira said he suffered headaches from smoke inhalation, drinking water and taking paracetamol afterwards.

The chef, who has lived in Glasgow for 15 years, said he wanted to act as he often uses Central Station and it is “monumental” to him.

He said: “A structure like that contributed to my living in Glasgow.”